The Faintest Hope
by Grandliucharde
Summary: I'm taking a temporary hiatus from updating this story so that I can go back and correct all of my mistakes. Expect the revised edition to be posted separately somewhere down the line.
1. Chapter 1: Friendship

"I hope you said all your goodbyes, kid, because as soon as we come out of this long tunnel, you'll see the academy…and perhaps never see anything again!"

While at first frightening, Tsukune had dismissed the bus driver's words initially. After all, since he had failed all of his other entrance exams, he didn't have any other choice. How bad could Yokai Academy really be?

Once he stepped off the bus, though, Tsukune knew that the man hadn't been joking. What Tsukune presumed to be the academy was a set of dilapidated buildings off in the distance framed by a sheer cliff over a red sea on one side and surrounded by a dark, uninviting forest. He couldn't be sure from where he stood, but Tsukune was almost positive he saw gravestones adorned with skulls poking out from the edges of the forest. The only thing that didn't send shivers down his spine was the crudely constructed scarecrow standing beneath a tree nearby, but that was hardly a welcome sight.

"Welcome to your new school, son. You take care now…"

Tsukune looked back just in time to see the bus vanish into the foreboding tunnel from whence it came. Resigned to the fact that he had nowhere else to go, Tsukune began walking towards the academy, attempting to reassure himself along the way.

"It looks scary, but it's got to be a respectable school, right?" he said, still unsure. "My parents wouldn't send me to a school where I would be in harm's way, right? Right?" He laughed nervously to himself. From behind him, he could hear a faint noise growing louder. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. "It's nothing, it's nothing, it's noth—"

"Watch out!"

_A girl's voice?_ Tsukune hardly had time to think before he was struck from behind, knocking him to the ground. He winced from the impact, but as he pushed himself off the ground his hand hit something soft, and the person next to him gasped. Looking up, he saw that a very pretty girl had crashed into him on her bike. She had long pink hair and was wearing the same school uniform as he was; after a moment of stunned silence, Tsukune glanced down and saw that his hand was clutching her thigh.

"Gah! I'm sorry!" Tsukune exclaimed, quickly withdrawing his hand.

However, the girl didn't seem to notice, and was still a bit groggy. She looked up at Tsukune and her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!" she said. "Let me get that for you." Reaching into her pocket, she drew out a handkerchief and dabbed at the side of Tsukune's head. When she brought the cloth away from his face, Tsukune could see a small blot of blood on it. He touched the side of his face and noted that there was indeed a small cut on the side of his face.

"Ohhh…your blood…I can smell it…" The girl said under her breath.

"Er…what?" Tsukune asked, confused by the girl's reaction.

"I'm sorry," she replied, putting her hands on his shoulders, "but you see—" The girl leaned in close to Tsukune's neck. "—I'm a vampire."

Before Tsukune could process these words, the girl had sunk her teeth into his neck and began sucking his blood.

"V-VAMPIRE?!" Tsukune cried.

The vampire girl drew back, apparently realizing what she'd done. "I'm so sorry! My name is Akashiya Moka. I wouldn't dream of doing something like that…if I weren't—"

"—A vampire?!" Tsukune finished her sentence.

"Mm-hmm! And I have to say, your blood is really delicious." Despite the "compliment" Moka had given him, Tsukune stared speechless. "Do you…um…" Moka nervously tried to break the awkward silence. "Do you…not like vampires?"

"Not like vampires? Don't be ridiculous!" Tsukune replied nervously, fearing for his safety. "I love vampires!"

"Oh, I'm so glad! Then we can be friends!" exclaimed Moka exuberantly. "I was worried because I'm new here!"

_A girl this cute wants to be friends with me?_ thought Tsukune. _Looks like my luck might be turning around._ "My name is Aono Tsukune."

"Nice to meet you Tsukune!" Moka replied cheerfully. "Let's talk again after the commencement ceremony is over."

Moka got back on her bike and rode off towards the academy, leaving Tsukune to walk the rest of the way. He picked up his pace to avoid being late, trying to focus more on the fact that he had spoken with such an attractive girl and less on the fact that she had sucked his blood.

Once he arrived at the auditorium, Tsukune found that the students were already seated and almost all of the spots were taken. A boy sitting near the outer edge of one of the rows of seats saw Tsukune's plight and waved him over. He had light green hair and grey-green eyes that clashed horribly with his school uniform. He caught Tsukune's attention, and Tsukune hurried over and sat down next to him.

"Thanks," he said as he took his seat. "Did I miss anything?'

"No, the speaker still hasn't come out," the boy replied. "My name is Koei Kidoku. What's yours?" Kidoku extended a hand to Tsukune.

"Aono Tsukune," he replied, shaking the boy's hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Kidoku said, smiling.

Before the conversation could go any further, however, the school's Chairman appeared on the stage. He wore white robes and a habit that obscured his face, with a cross and rosary dangling from his neck. Tsukune was intrigued by his odd appearance, as was Kidoku.

"Nice getup, eh?" Kidoku commented. Tsukune nodded in agreement. A low murmur could be heard throughout the auditorium as the students whispered rumors about the mysterious man on the stage. Their voices died down once he started speaking.

"I'd like to welcome you all to the prestigious Yokai Academy," the Chairman began. "As you all know, this school is exclusively for monsters. However, in order to promote the ability to coexist with humans, you are all to remain in your disguises while here. You are not to reveal your true form to anyone."

Tsukune blanched at the Chairman's words. _A school for monsters? This is a joke, right?_ Looking around, though, he noticed that no one else was amused; in fact, they hadn't so much as batted an eyelash at this outlandish statement.

Tsukune nudged Kidoku. "Was that some kind of joke?" he inquired.

"Hm? I doubt they'd get mad at you for shifting if it was necessary, but they're trying to discourage it," he replied, missing the point. "Why, what's your true form?" Before Tsukune could answer, Kidoku continued, "Oh, but he just told us to keep it a secret, didn't he? My bad."

Tsukune laughed nervously and looked around the room. As far as he could see, everyone _looked_ human, but from what the man onstage had just said, every single one of them was a monster, even the smiling boy sitting next to him. _"I've got to get out of here!" _he thought to himself._ "I'll just have to retake the entrance exams next year."_ Set in his course of action, Tsukune decided that all he could do was to get through the day without drawing too much attention to himself.

The rest of the commencement ceremony was a blur to Tsukune. He couldn't focus on what the Chairman was talking about, and only became aware of his surroundings again when the speech was over and everyone stood up to go to their homeroom. Tsukune dug in his pockets and produced a crumpled piece of paper that contained his schedule. Towards the top, there was a line that said "Homeroom: 103 – Nekonome."

"What's your homeroom, Tsukune?" Kidoku asked.

"Room 103," Tsukune replied, somewhat wary of Kidoku now that he knew he was a monster.

"Hey, same here! We should sit together in class."

Tsukune nodded absentmindedly and folded up the paper once more, putting it back into his pocket. He and Kidoku then left the auditorium and headed toward room 103.

On the inside, the academy looked to be in much better condition than its exterior would suggest. It looked like most normal schools would, actually, with a slightly classical throwback in style…and of course, the various trophy cases and artistic displays around the halls that served as a constant reminder that this academy was not for humans.

"Can you believe this place?" Kidoku exclaimed. "It's such a nice looking school! Much better than the ones in the human world, anyway."

Tsukune perked up. "The human world? You've been there?"

The duo arrived at room 103 with little trouble. Tsukune took a seat toward the middle of the room, while Kidoku took the seat to his right. Once they were settled in, Kidoku continued.

"My mother sent me there for middle school so I would be exposed to human girls," he said, grinning sheepishly. "I don't think it went as well as she wanted."

"Why would you want to meet human girls if you're a monster?" asked Tsukune.

Before Kidoku could answer, though, the homeroom teacher entered the room. All of the students became silent and turned in their seats to face forward. The teacher was dressed quite unusually for an authority figure; very casual by most standards. Tsukune noticed that two tufts of hair on her head looked like cat ears. _They probably ARE cat ears,_ he thought. _After all, she's a monster too._

"Good morning, class!" she said brightly. "I am Nekonome Shizuka, and I will be your homeroom teacher. As you all know, Yokai is an academy for monsters." She picked up a ruler and used it to point to a set of crude drawings on the chalkboard. "However, the world is currently dominated by humans." This was accompanied by a stick figure standing on top of the world. "Therefore, we must learn to coexist with the humans. To do so, we must maintain our human disguises! As the Chairman told you earlier, you are not to break your disguise while you are here, even to your fellow students. To master the art of disguise is critical to survival among humans!"

"But sensei, can't we just _eat_ all of the humans?" asked a ferocious looking boy a few seats from Tsukune. "Aside from all of the beautiful girls, of course." There was a wicked glint in his eye as he licked his lips.

"Don't be silly!" replied Nekonome. "Besides, all of the students and faculty are monsters, too. This school is set behind a protective barrier; no human has seen it and lived."

Tsukune swallowed hard. _So if they find out I'm a human, they'll kill me?!_

Kidoku leaned toward Tsukune. "I've heard about that guy," he whispered. "His name's Komiya Saizo. Supposedly, he caused a lot of trouble in the human world. He's definitely not the kind of guy you want to piss off."

"Sorry I'm late!" a voice called from the doorway. Everyone turned to the door to see who the latecomer was, though Tsukune thought the voice sounded familiar. In through the doorway stepped a girl with unmistakable pink hair. "I got lost on the way over from the commencement ceremony," said Moka, slightly embarrassed that everyone's eyes were on her; the boys in the class were making her particularly uncomfortable.

"…Moka?" Tsukune said.

Moka's eyes locked onto Tsukune. "Tsukune!" she cried happily, running over to him. "Oh, I'm so glad we have homeroom together!" Beaming, she took a seat behind him.

Tsukune noticed that he was receiving death glares from every boy in the class, including Saizo…well, almost everyone. Kidoku seemed to find the situation delightful more than anything, and he chuckled softly as Tsukune withered under the oppressive stares.

* * *

After their classes were over, the trio left the main building and headed toward the dorms. Tsukune had introduced Moka to Kidoku, and the two had hit it off fairly well, primarily because Kidoku was the only boy aside from Tsukune who wasn't constantly drooling over Moka. The girl had clung to Tsukune's arm the entire time, much to Kidoku's amusement.

Once they arrived at the dorms, they each decided it would be best if they checked into their rooms before doing anything else, and agreed to meet again in the courtyard in half an hour. Moka left for the girls' dorm while Tsukune and Kidoku walked together to the boys' dorm.

"Moka really seems to have a thing for you, Tsukune," said Kidoku as they picked up their room keys from the front counter. "I almost felt like a third wheel for a while there."

"We just met today, though," replied Tsukune. "I think she's just friendly."

"Y'know, a lot of guys have it out for you because she's always on your arm."

Tsukune opened the door to the stairwell and the two began climbing. "Yeah, I noticed. They're either glaring at me or swooning over her," he lamented. "Speaking of which, you don't seem to be affected too much."

"I don't think she's my type," he said offhandedly. They had arrived at Tsukune's floor. "I'm another three floors up, so I guess I'll see you in a bit," said Kidoku, continuing to walk up the stairs.

Making a dash to his room, Tsukune wasted no time in gathering up all of his belongings. He hastily scrawled out a letter of withdrawal and sealed it in an envelope, then grabbed everything he had packed and ran down the stairs to the lobby. He checked the clock; twenty minutes had passed. Pinned to the wall beneath the clock was the bus schedule. Tsukune glanced at the departure times and realized he only had ten minutes before the next bus left._ I guess I'll just have to mail them my letter of withdrawal_, he thought. Rounding on the spot, he sprinted out the door, nearly colliding with Moka, who had been waiting just outside.

"Tsukune, what are those bags for?" she asked.

"I'm…leaving, Moka-san," Tsukune replied. "I want…I want to go to a human school!"

Moka gasped. "No! You can't! Humans are horribly cruel!" Tsukune was surprised by Moka's sudden outburst. "I went to middle school in the human world. They all shunned me and treated me like a freak. I hate humans!" Moka exclaimed. There were tears welling up in her eyes now. "That's why I'm so glad I met you, Tsukune…I was all alone, and now I have you for a friend."

She moved to take Tsukune's arm, but he pulled away. "Moka-san, what if I was one of those humans you despise so much?" Tsukune asked quietly, his face to the ground.

Moka's eyes widened and she backed away from Tsukune slowly. "Tsukune, I—"

"Well, I _am_ a human! You hate humans, right? Well, maybe I…maybe I don't like monsters, either!"

Tsukune snatched up his bags and ran for the bus stop, leaving Moka alone. When the full impact of Tsukune's words hit her, tears began to fall down her pretty face. She headed into the woods to be alone for a while.

A few minutes later, Kidoku walked out of the dorm. "Okay, guys, what do you want to…" he began to say, until he realized no one was there. "Huh. They must be running late." Kidoku sat down on a bench and watched the clouds float by as he waited for his new friends to arrive.

* * *

Moka walked aimlessly among the dark trees of the forest, sobbing and mumbling to herself. "I should've known it was too good to be true…I finally make a real friend, and then…"

"What brings you out here alone, beautiful?" Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed Moka by the wrist. She turned to face her captor.

"S-Saizo?!"

"If you're feeling lonely, I'll fix that," he said, laughing menacingly. His tongue began to extend and small spikes jutted out of his back around his shoulders. "Sorry," he said as his shirt was ripped apart, giving way to the rippling muscles underneath, "but when I get excited like this, I can't stay in human form." Saizo had finished transforming, and he had grown considerably during the process. His tongue flicked the air near Moka's face. "I'm going to make you mine, Moka Akashiya!"

"TSUKUNE!!!" Moka cried.

* * *

Tsukune had made it to the bus stop with time to spare, and was now gazing up at the scarecrow's pumpkin head as he thought about the unusual day he had experienced. _Is this what I really want? I'd get to go back to my normal life and forget about monsters…but Moka and Kidoku seem so nice._

The bus pulled up a minute early. As the door slid back, Tsukune could see that it was the same man who had driven him to Yokai that morning. "I had a feeling you'd run, kid," he said. "I could see it in your face."

Suddenly, Moka's scream pierced the silence. Tsukune glanced back at the woods, then looked at the bus driver, unsure of what to do. "You coming along or not, kid?" the bus driver asked.

_Even if she's a monster, I can't just leave Moka when she needs help!_ Tsukune shook his head and sprinted back the way he came. The bus driver chuckled. "Good luck, kid…you'll need it."

Tsukune's breath came in sharp, heavy draws. He was not used to this level of physical activity, but he continued at his breakneck pace until Moka was within his sights. "Moka-san!" he called out to her, his voice ragged.

"Tsukune, watch out!" she yelled back. "Saizo's transformed!"

A large fist came crashing down a few feet from Tsukune, rending the earth around it and causing Tsukune to stumble. "If you've got any last words, Aono, I'd say 'em quick," roared Saizo, rearing back for another punch.

"THIS is Saizo?!" sputtered Tsukune. "Are _all_ monsters like this?!"

"Not all of us!"

A green streak flashed through the trees, causing Saizo to howl in pain. Tsukune looked up and saw that there were several small cuts along his chest. To his left, Kidoku was flying level with the treetops. Dark wings and a tail had sprouted from his body, and long claws extended from his hands.

"Tsukune!" he called out. "Transform! We can take him together!" He started zigzagging around the area, striking at Saizo whenever his guard was down. Saizo stepped away from Moka and swung aimlessly at Kidoku.

Tsukune rushed to Moka's side and held her up. "Are you alright?" he asked, his face crossed with worry.

"Run, Tsukune!" she said weakly. "Humans are no match for a transformed monster!"

"No," said Tsukune firmly. "I will protect you, Moka-san, because…I want to be your friend."

Moka smiled softly at Tsukune. Hot tears began flowing down her cheeks once more, but this time she was crying with joy.

"HEY!" shouted Kidoku as he raked Saizo's chest once more. "I could use a little help, you two!"

"What a nuisance," growled Saizo. He reached out and caught Kidoku by the tail and proceeded to slam him against the ground. Kidoku writhed on the ground, groaning with pain.

"Kidoku!" cried Tsukune. Moka pulled Tsukune close and looked him directly in the eyes. "I keep my power sealed with this rosary," she said, gesturing to the cross around her neck. "I can't take it off myself." Moka clasped Tsukune's hands and brought them up to the rosary. "But you're a human, so…maybe you can."

Moka gave his hands a slight tug, and the rosary came off. A wave of potent demonic energy washed over the forest as Moka's inner self emerged. Her bright pink hair faded to steel silver, and her brilliant green eyes became red with slits for pupils.

"Ahaha! Wonderful!" roared Saizo. "I've always wanted to tussle with one of your kind!" The gigantic orc threw a mighty punch at Moka. Without even flinching, she raised one hand and stopped the colossal fist mere inches from her head.

"What?!" gasped Saizo. "How did you block my attack?!"

"Stupid orc," spat Moka. "All size and no strength. LEARN YOUR PLACE!" Moka pulled hard on Saizo's arm to draw him closer, then jumped and spun, delivering a powerful kick to the side of Saizo's head.

Saizo flew several feet and skidded to a halt, where he remained motionless. Tsukune was speechless, amazed by what he had just witnessed. The new Moka walked over to him and he backed away slightly, still somewhat frightened by her new appearance.

"Scared?" she asked. "I'm not going to hurt you, Tsukune." Stepping in closer, she took back the rosary. "That was very brave of you. The same goes for your friend over there." Moka pointed to Kidoku's twitching form. She then reattached the rosary. "Please thank him for me." Almost immediately, Moka fainted, her hair returning to its normal cheerful color. Tsukune caught her and noticed a peaceful smile spread across her lips.

Tsukune carried her over to where Kidoku was lying on the ground. He opened one eye and looked up at Tsukune. "Is she…safe?" he asked, his voice a faint whisper. Tsukune nodded. Kidoku grinned back at him. "Good." Without another word, Kidoku pushed himself up off the ground slowly. When he stood, his knees were shaking.

"Do you need help?" Tsukune asked, looking worried.

"No," mumbled Kidoku. "I can stand."

The two boys began walking back to the dorms, Tsukune carrying Moka in his arms. Kidoku nudged his shoulder gently. "You've got some explaining to do."


	2. Chapter 2: Trust

**Author's Note:**First of all, since I forgot to say it in the first chapter, I do not own Rosario+Vampire in any way. That said, I'd like to thank the two people who reviewed the first chapter; it's a really good feeling when someone takes the time to comment on something you've written. I wanted this chapter to be shorter than the last, but it ended up being substantially longer...oops! There were some things at the end that probably could've been put into the next chapter instead, but I felt they went more with this chapter's theme. I'm going to try to update at least once a week from here on out, but it's quite likely that I'll update more often than that.

* * *

When Kidoku awakened the next morning, he was so sore that he could hardly move. The points along his back where his wings and tail would emerge were particularly tender. He eased himself out of bed slowly, trying to keep his body as stiff as possible.

Once he was on his feet, however, he found that even walking was a chore. As with other yokai, Kidoku's body healed quickly, but Saizo's barbaric strength had left more than a few bruises. After shuffling rigidly down the hallway, he reached the sanctuary of the showers. Kidoku hung up his towel and drew the curtain, letting the hot water soothe his aching body.

As he stood in the warm spray, Kidoku's mind drifted to the events of the previous day. He and Tsukune had delivered an unconscious Moka to the lobby of the girls' dorm, at which point the matron on duty carried her to her room. From the suspicious looks she cast them and her gruff manner when thanking them, the two boys had a feeling that she thought they were to blame for Moka's condition.

After that, they had returned to the boys' dorm. Kidoku's knees gave way, and he had to lean on Tsukune just to make it up the stairs. The conversation they had had in Kidoku's room still echoed in his mind.

* * *

"_I'm a human."_

_The words came in a low whisper that was barely audible even in the nearly silent room. Kidoku, who had been lying in his bed, sat bolt upright when Tsukune mumbled those three words. "How did you manage to get in?" he asked, unable to think of a better question._

_Tsukune shrugged. "My dad said that he got a flyer from a priest. I failed all of my other entrance exams, so my parents were overjoyed that I could still get into a school."_

_Kidoku was silent for a moment, mulling the situation over. After a few moments, a soft grin spread across his face. "Well, I guess that explains the smell."_

"_I smell bad?!" Tsukune asked, mildly alarmed._

"_No," replied Kidoku, chuckling. "Quite the opposite, actually; you smell better than most of the girls here. I must say, it was a bit disconcerting. I was worried you might be one of those really effeminate guys or something."_

_Tsukune laughed. "You couldn't be farther from the truth."_

"_I don't know about that, Tsukune. You've got a very pretty girl hanging on your every word already, but you've made no move toward her." Kidoku cocked an eyebrow. "It's a bit questionable."_

"_Hey, we just met today!" said Tsukune defensively. "Besides, you admitted that you're not attracted to her either!"_

"_Well, that's just how I am."_

"_You're one weird yokai," commented Tsukune. "After seeing Moka's reaction, I didn't expect you to be so calm about me being a human."_

"_You seem to be forgetting that I attended middle school in the human world," Kidoku reminded him. "I don't have a problem with humans. To yokai like me, they can be quite endearing."_

"_What do you mean?" asked Tsukune. "What kind of yokai are you, anyway?"_

_Kidoku stared blankly at him. "The wings and tail didn't give it away?"_

_Tsukune shook his head. Kidoku sighed and fell back onto his bed. "I'll let you figure that one out on your own. In the meantime, I'm going to get some rest." He pulled the covers up to his chest and rolled onto his side._

_Nodding, Tsukune stood up to leave. Kidoku watched him leave over his shoulder. "Tsukune?" he called, halting the boy in the doorway._

_Tsukune faced Kidoku. "Yeah?"_

"_Thanks."_

_A perplexed look crossed Tsukune's face. "For what?"_

"_For being my friend."_

_Tsukune smiled, flicked off the light switch, and closed the door behind him. Kidoku sighed deeply; he had overexerted himself when fighting Saizo earlier, and now the exhaustion had caught up with him. He closed his eyes and almost immediately drifted off to sleep, not waking until the following morning._

_

* * *

_It certainly made sense in hindsight: the worried look at the assembly, Tsukune's general air of detachment, and his refusal to transform even when faced with Saizo in all of his brutal glory. Kidoku's eyes widened as he made a stunning realization: despite the fact that a single well-placed hit from Saizo could have easily killed him, Tsukune still came to Moka's aid. Kidoku frowned. _He risked his life, yet he claims there's nothing between them. What gives?_

Then he remembered Tsukune's words. _"We just met each other today." Such kindness toward someone he hardly knows. Is he stupid, or is he really that chivalrous?_

Kidoku turned off the water, dried his hair, and wrapped his towel around his waist. He was oblivious to everything around him as he walked back to his room, still in deep thought. _Just what kind of person is this Tsukune Aono?_

After hastily putting on his uniform, Kidoku threw down a light breakfast and attempted to get his hair to lie flat before leaving the room for class. _I hope Tsukune and Moka waited for me,_ he thought as he struggled down the stairs. When he made his way out of the dorm, he saw them standing together about halfway from the dorms to the school.

Kidoku started walking toward them until something caught his eye. In a crowd of moving students clad in green uniforms, one girl stood alone in a pale yellow sweater. Her slender figure and turquoise hair, bound by a dark violet ribbon with stars scattered across it, seemed familiar to him somehow. Kidoku walked up to her and tapped her shoulder gently. "Excuse me, Miss," he said politely.

"What?" replied the girl, mildly irritated. She turned to face Kidoku. "I'm a little bu—"

Kidoku flashed a smile. _Just as I thought._ "It's been a while, Kurumu-chan."

"Kido!" she squealed with delight. "Wow, that outfit goes terribly with your eyes and hair."

Kidoku chuckled softly; his mother had said the same thing. "I wasn't aware I had another option," he remarked, eyeing the yellow sweater and red bow. They caused Kurumu to stick out like a sore thumb.

"Neither was I, but they haven't stopped me yet! How was your stay in the human world?"

"Disastrous," he said cheerfully. "We should get together sometime and catch up on things."

Kurumu glanced back over her shoulder and saw Tsukune run from Moka's side toward the forest's edge with his hand over his neck. "I'd like that," she replied, her eyes still on Tsukune, "but right now I have something important I need to do. It was nice to see you again, Kido-san."

Without waiting for his reply, Kurumu took off in the direction she had last seen Tsukune run. Kidoku sighed. _Maybe Kurumu has outgrown me,_ he thought._ But she still calls me 'Kido.' I'll find her after class and talk to her._ Looking back towards where Tsukune and Moka had been, Kidoku saw that Moka now stood alone and looked distraught.

"Hey, Moka!" he called as he limped toward the girl. Moka saw Kidoku's pitiful attempt to hurry along and met him halfway to ease the stress he was placing on himself. Panting slightly, Kidoku asked, "What's wrong? Where's Tsukune?"

"I sucked his blood again, but this time he got very angry and ran away," said Moka, her lip quivering. When Kidoku looked into her eyes, he could see she was on the verge of crying. "What should I do, Kidoku-san? I tried to stop myself, but his scent is just so intoxicating!"

"Why not just apologize?" replied Kidoku. "I'm sure Tsukune will cool off when he sees how upset you are."

Moka nodded gratefully. "I think I'll go find him and say I'm sorry now," she said. "I'll see you in class, Kidoku-san."

Kidoku smiled warmly and hobbled along toward the academy building as Moka went on her way. Once he was certain she was out of earshot, he muttered under his breath, "What an interesting mess."

* * *

Tsukune paced back and forth a short distance into the forest. He touched his neck gingerly, but to his surprise there was no sign that Moka had bitten his neck; no blood, no punctures to his skin, nothing. He leaned against a tree and kicked a rock along the ground, watching it bounce along. _What am I to Moka? She says we're friends, but she seems more interested than that. Is she just using me for my blood?_ This last prospect disturbed Tsukune. Moka was a sweet girl on the outside, but he had seen the powerful side of her that lurked just below the surface, and she had sucked his blood twice in as many days.

Kurumu peered at Tsukune through the underbrush. Her plan would need some modification, but now that she had Tsukune alone, it would be much easier to execute. She dropped to her hands and knees and did her best to look pitiful as she staggered forward on the ground.

"Someone…please help!" she moaned weakly.

Her voice brought Tsukune out of his reverie, and upon seeing the girl kneeling on the ground, he immediately rushed to her side. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Let me help you up." Tsukune offered Kurumu a hand, which she took.

"Oh…thank you," said Kurumu, using Tsukune for support as she stood up. "I've been frail since I was a little girl, you see," she explained. "I have these random spasms…they make my chest feel so tight…" Suddenly, she pressed herself against Tsukune. "Like it could burst!"

Even through her thick sweater, Tsukune could feel the girl's large, soft breasts rubbing against his chest. _Chest…burst? _Tsukune's mind immediately filled with the image of that yellow sweater being torn away by the large mounds of flesh beneath it, and his awareness of his surroundings faded.

_And now for the finishing touch,_ thought Kurumu. _You're mine now, Tsukune Aono!_ "Please, look into my eyes," she whispered to Tsukune, gently tilting his chin down until their eyes met.

Tsukune snapped back into focus, and realized he was gazing directly into the girl's violet eyes. His heart raced; in addition to her amazing body, she was also very beautiful.

"My name is Kurono Kurumu," she said, a gentle smile forming at the corners of her mouth. "Let's be friends…okay?"_ Allure!_

Tsukune felt a strange sensation wash over him. He was filled with the overwhelming urge to put his arms around Kurumu and pull her close to him, and while this was not something Tsukune would normally do, his arms seemed to move of their own accord, ignoring his mind's protests and fulfilling his underlying desire.

"Ooh! What are you doing?" Kurumu said coyly, pretending like she wasn't enjoying it.

_I'm not too sure myself!_ thought Tsukune.

From behind a tree near the edge of the forest, Moka watched the entire scene unfold. Tsukune's sudden display of affection for Kurumu was as much as she could take, and she ran back to the academy in silence, feeling betrayed by Tsukune.

* * *

The entire time that they had class together, Tsukune seemed distant. Moka couldn't help but notice that the girl from the forest was seated a few rows away from him and would repeatedly send flirtatious looks in his direction, and he would smile in return, which was the only time that Tsukune's facial expression was anything but vacant. Moka looked to Kidoku for help, but he was too busy taking notes.

After gym, their final class, Moka waited for Tsukune in the hallway. She needed to talk to him to figure out where they stood._ What does that girl mean to Tsukune? The way he was holding her…why does it bother me so much?_

"So…they say you're a vampire," said a voice from above. Moka looked up to see the girl Tsukune had been with in the forest sitting on the banister and smirking wickedly. "It's quite the gossip in Class 1. Akashiya Moka, right?"

_How does she know all of this?_ wondered Moka. _Did Tsukune tell her?_

The fair seductress slid off the railing and landed gracefully on her feet close to Moka. "I am the succubus Kurono Kurumu," she informed her, "and I am here to defeat you!"

"Isn't it against the school's rules to reveal your true form?" Moka asked.

"That's beside the point!" snarled Kurumu. "Ugh, I can't stand that an airhead like you is the only kink in my grand plan!"

"Grand plan?"

"Operation: Yokai Harem! My plan to enslave the entire male student body. It was flawless…every boy in the school would be mesmerized by my beauty! That is—" Kurumu got right in Moka's face, "—until _you_ came along and the damn fools fell for _you_ instead! I will _never_ lose to you in a battle of feminine charm! _Never!_" Kurumu emphasized each "never" with a sharp jab to Moka's sternum with her index finger.

"That's why in order to show you that you are nothing compared to me," Kurumu continued, "I've decided to steal Tsukune-kun from you!"

"No!" Moka gasped. "Leave him out of this!"

"When he pulled me in close, I noticed he had a very _mesmerizing_ scent," Kurumu said, delighting in Moka's indignant reaction. "He smells almost like a human. Is that why you keep him around? Or…is it for his blood? You'll need a new source once I steal him from you!"

Kurumu's words struck home. "Th-that's not true…" Moka stammered quietly. "I…I don't use him…"

At that moment, Tsukune and a very weary Kidoku exited the locker room. It had been a while since Tsukune had seen Kurumu, and now that he was back in control of his body, he wanted to apologize to Moka for his outburst earlier that morning.

"So what did you say to her, anyway?" inquired Kidoku, sitting on a bench to rest his legs.

"I told her I wasn't her personal cafeteria," Tsukune responded, staring off into space down the hall. "This morning, she told me she was anemic, and that sucking blood helped to keep her strength up, but it still bothered me."

"She seemed pretty upset when I talked to her," remarked Kidoku.

"Yeah…I need to apologize to her."

As Tsukune's eyes wandered about the hall, he noticed that Moka was standing near the staircase. "Moka!" he called, running off toward her. This left Kidoku to limp along by himself to catch up, much to his dismay.

"I'm glad I found you, Moka!" said Tsukune as he approached her. "I'm sorry for running off like that this morning. I also wanted to apo—"

"Ooh, it's my knight in shining armor!" cried Kurumu, tackling Tsukune. She began rubbing herself against him. "How can I ever thank you?"

"Kurumu?!" Tsukune yelped, knowing nothing good would come of the girl's presence. "What are you doing here?! I'm trying to talk to Moka!"

Tsukune looked over at Moka to see that she was glowering at him and Kurumu. _And to think I was __**worried**__ about him!_ Shaking off her anger, Moka said, "Tsukune, Kurumu's not the nice girl you think she is! She's trying to trick you!"

"Oh, Tsukune, why…why is she being so cruel?" lamented Kurumu. "Oh dear…I'm feeling light-headed…it's another fainting spell! Tsukune-kun, catch me!" Kurumu swooned and fell into the arms of a very alarmed Tsukune.

"Kurumu, are you alright?!" he asked frantically.

Kurumu quickly looked up into his eyes. _Allure!_

_Not again!_ Tsukune felt himself fall under Kurumu's control once more.

"Please believe me, Tsukune!" Moka pleaded. "She's just trying to use you!"

"Use me?" Tsukune repeated, his voice a dull monotone. "But Moka, you're the one who's been using me for my blood."

Moka's eyes widened with surprise. Speechless, she tried to hold back her tears, but to no avail. From her position in Tsukune's arms, Kurumu watched Moka break down and run away crying.

_Now to seal the deal,_ she thought. "Tsukune, I think I need to lie down," she said, clinging to his shirt. "Would you take me to the nurse's office?"

Tsukune nodded silently and walked away with Kurumu holding onto his arm. Further down the hall, Kidoku had nearly caught up when they all decided to leave.

"C'mon, guys, wait up!" His cries fell on deaf ears, though, and he continued shuffling down the hall after Tsukune. Now that he had gotten closer, Kidoku noticed that it was not Moka who was latched onto Tsukune, but instead Kurumu. In an instant, he understood the situation. _Oh, this is bad. Very, very bad._ Unfortunately, Tsukune and Kurumu were walking too fast for Kidoku to keep up, and he soon found himself even further behind them. As he rounded a corner, he caught a glimpse of the pair slipping into the nurse's office, letting the door shut behind them. Kidoku cursed Saizo and his incredible strength under his breath and kicked the nearest door to vent his frustration.

When it swung open, Kidoku saw that Moka was sitting on the steps on the other side of it, her face in her hands. "Moka-san!" he yelled, "I need your help! Tsukune's in danger!"

Moka stood up and faced Kidoku, and the boy could see that her eyes were red and puffy. "Tsukune doesn't want to be around me," she mumbled quietly.

"No, you've got it all wrong!" Kidoku said urgently. "Kurumu has him under her spell! It's a standard succubus spell. He'll say and do anything she wants. But if she kisses him, he'll be her slave forever!"

Moka gasped. "We'd better hurry before it's too late!" She wiped the tears from her eyes and rushed past Kidoku, leaving him alone once more.

"How do I always get left behind?" he cried woefully.

* * *

In the nurse's office, Kurumu sat on one of the empty beds and began celebrating in her mind. _Yes! I did it! Oh, the look on her face…and she __**cried**__! It was too perfect!_ She looked over at Tsukune, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, and saw his dull smile beginning to face; her spell was wearing out.

_Time to finish this._ "Tsukune…" she said softly, trying to get his attention. When Tsukune looked up, Kurumu pressed his head into her chest. "I know you're feeling down, Tsukune. Let me hold you and make it all better," Kurumu whispered lovingly into his ear.

Before Tsukune knew what was happening, Kurumu had pulled him up onto the bed and had pressed him against it on his back. Doing her best to be coy, Kurumu positioned herself so that she was directly above him on her hands and knees. When their eyes met, the succubus made her final move. _Allure!_ The all-too-familiar loss of control enveloped Tsukune once more as Kurumu went in for the kill. Steadying herself with one hand, she caressed Tsukune's face with the other as she brought her lips closer to his. She could feel his breath on her lips, and his intoxicating scent was overwhelming.

_No!_ Tsukune's arms shot up and wrapped themselves around Kurumu, pulling her in close.

"Whoa!" Kurumu was startled by Tsukune's sudden enthusiasm. _I didn't think he'd be so willing!_

"I'm sorry," Tsukune said in a low voice. He was now sitting upright and maintained his grip on Kurumu, making sure that she could not make eye contact with him. "You're a very beautiful girl, Kurumu," he continued, "but Moka is my friend, and I will not betray her trust."

Kurumu's eyes narrowed. "How…" she muttered under her breath. "How can you resist me?!" Kurumu pushed Tsukune away. "Do you really want her so much more?! I humiliated myself for you! I even pretended to be _helpless_ for you!" A pair of dark black wings erupted from Kurumu's back, followed by a long, pointed tail. "If I can't have you—" Kurumu flew up above the bed and extended her long claws, "—neither can she!"

"Stop!" Moka burst through the door and saw Kurumu fluttering above Tsukune. Without hesitating, Moka charged at Kurumu. "Get away from him!" she shouted, and pushed Kurumu hard enough to send her flying out the window. "Run, Tsukune!" said Moka. "That girl is a succubus with a grudge against me. She's trying to get back at me by going after you!"

"I bet you think you're pretty strong, don't you?" Kurumu taunted from just outside the window. She flapped her wings until she was floating level with the room. "I'll finish you both at the same time!"

"I wish you guys would stop running off like that," said Kidoku exasperatedly from the doorway. He looked out the window and saw that Kurumu had transformed. Groaning, he let his own disguise fall away and quickly flew at Kurumu, halting when he was between her and Tsukune and Moka.

"Out of the way, Kidoku!" Kurumu growled, displaying her claws menacingly.

"Sorry, Kurumu-chan," he replied resolutely, "but Tsukune and Moka are my friends. Back off."

Kurumu cackled madly. "_Back off_? When did _you_ grow a spine, Kidoku?" The two flew head-on at each other, claws clashing in midair. Kurumu used their proximity to her advantage and kicked out at Kidoku, striking his side. "You've always been weak and helpless, Kidoku! Even when we were children, you needed _me_ to stand up to the other boys for you!" Kidoku swiped at her, but Kurumu nimbly dodged and hit him hard across the back. "I saw you limping along today. If you couldn't face me at full strength, what makes you think you'll win now?!" Kurumu ended the fight decisively by delivering a crushing kick to Kidoku's exposed backside, sending him plummeting to the earth. He hit the ground hard, skidding a short distance in the dirt.

Meanwhile, Tsukune and Moka had left the academy building and were watching the dogfight from the ground. Moka gasped every time Kurumu struck Kidoku. "Tsukune," she said worriedly, "Kidoku's still in bad shape from the fight with Saizo. We have to help him." Her hands were trembling as she clutched his. "Take off my rosary!"

When Kidoku hit the ground, Tsukune knew that they had no other options. Kurumu had her sights set on them now, and was flying toward them at top speed. With a small tug, the rosary snapped free from its chain around Moka's neck.

Just as in the fight with Saizo, a monstrous aura flooded the area as Moka transformed into her true self. Her eyes became red with slits and her hair was drained of its color until only cold silver remained.

"So the rumors were true…" Kurumu muttered to herself. "No! I can't lose! The race of succubi is dying off, so we are each tasked with finding a male worthy of fathering our children!" Kurumu's eyes began to water. "That's why I wanted to enslave the boys of Yokai Academy; surely at least _one_ of them would be monster enough to become my 'mate of fate!'" Kurumu blinked back her tears and pointed her claws accusingly at Moka. "But you, Akashiya Moka, ruined all of it, and for that, _you will pay!_" Kurumu flew straight at Moka with murder in her eyes.

Moka smirked. "I will pay? For interfering with your selfish plans?" she said mockingly. Kurumu lashed out viciously at Moka, but the vampire stepped behind her quickly and grabbed her tail. "If I tear this off, will you learn your place?" Moka asked cruelly. She swung Kurumu high into the air and brutally slammed her into the ground. Kurumu gasped for air as she felt the wind get knocked out of her. "Your attacks are too direct and full of anger," said Moka reproachfully as she walked slowly toward the fallen succubus. "You're just a little girl…and you're never going to get any older."

Kurumu scrambled to her feet and tried to escape, but Moka was still holding her tail. Kidoku attempted to push himself off the ground, but his arms and knees gave way. "Moka…stop…" he groaned helplessly. "Please…"

"Quiet, Kidoku," Moka hissed. "You're lucky to be alive after your foolish heroics."

"That's enough." Tsukune planted himself firmly between Moka and Kurumu with his arms outstretched, still clutching Moka's rosary.

"Move, Tsukune," Moka commanded. "That wench could have killed you."

"I know," Tsukune said calmly, "but I also know that she does not deserve to be killed. Sure, Kurumu can be dark and violent at times…but some might say that of you as well, Moka." Kurumu stared at Tsukune, amazed that he was defending her.

After a moment of glaring at Tsukune, Moka conceded. "Don't get the wrong idea," she said crossly to Tsukune, taking back her rosary. "I'm not like your 'other' Moka. I just don't want your blood to be stolen." Moka reattached the rosary and collapsed in Tsukune's arms. Tsukune sighed with relief.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Moka asked, concerned.

"Just think of it as my apology for what I said yesterday," replied Tsukune with an honest smile.

"Oh, Tsukune!" Moka bit down on his neck and began sucking his blood. Tsukune stifled his cries of pain as best as he could. When she was done, Moka beamed at him.

"Good morning!" said Kurumu, greeting Tsukune and Moka cheerfully and startling them both. "I baked you some cookies, Tsukune!"

Tsukune looked at her oddly. "For me? Why?"

"Remember how I said I needed to find a 'mate of fate?' Well…I've decided it's you!" Kurumu said enthusiastically. Tsukune's jaw nearly hit the ground. "You stood in harm's way to save my life…it was so romantic! I'm in love!"

"Er, thanks, Kurumu," said Tsukune after taking the cookies, unsure of how to respond.

* * *

Kidoku did not show up in class that day. Tsukune and Moka had delivered him to the medical bay the previous evening, but he was still being tended to that afternoon. Tsukune decided to go and visit him after classes were over. He brought the basket of cookies along to help brighten Kidoku's mood.

When he arrived in the medical bay, the doctor told him that Kidoku had been fading in and out of consciousness all day long, and that he shouldn't expect him to be coherent, even if he was awake. As Tsukune walked down the hall to the room where Kidoku was being cared for, he heard voices coming from a room with an open door. When he got closer, he saw that it was Kidoku's room. He peered inside and was surprised by what he saw.

"Open wide!" said Kurumu happily as she fed Kidoku a cookie. He chewed it slowly and swallowed, grinning at Kurumu, who was sitting on a chair beside his bed. Kidoku was covered in bandages, and the parts of him that were exposed revealed several nasty bruises.

"Amazing as always, Kurumu-chan," he said softly.

She grabbed another cookie from a box sitting next to Kidoku's bed. "I frosted them to look like smiley faces!" she told him. "I know those used to be your favorite."

Kidoku ate another smiling cookie. He attempted to move but winced in pain and fell back onto his pillow. Kurumu stood up, alarmed.

"Are you alright, Kido?!" she cried. "Do you need another pillow?"

"No, no," whispered Kidoku, "I'm fine." Kurumu settled down and took her seat by his side once more. "You always did know how to take care of me, Kurumu-chan." Kurumu wiped a tear out of her eye as she stroked Kidoku's cheek. His eyes slowly shut and he drifted off to sleep once more.

Tsukune waited a short while, not wanting to interrupt the two of them, but Kurumu showed no signs of leaving. Deciding he would check again the next day, Tsukune returned to his room. As he lay staring at the ceiling trying to fall asleep, he thought Kurumu's loving and motherly behavior from earlier the afternoon, and how stark was the contrast it bore to her violent and jealous attitude from the day before.

_There's more to her than meets the eye._


	3. Chapter 3: Resolve

**Author's Note: **I do not own Rosario+Vampire in any way. To all the people still reading this, I'm sorry it took so long to post this chapter. I'm pretty much entirely settled in until my winter break is over, but the last week was pretty hectic. This was probably my least favorite chapter in the manga as well, so that killed a lot of my motivation. Please read and review, and I'll try to have the next chapter up in a more timely manner.

* * *

"Good morning, class!" Nekonome exclaimed. "As you all know, the goal of this academy is to teach yokai how to exist alongside humans. To further that goal, starting today, you will each join a club!" The reaction of the students ranged from mild interest to irritation to joy to utter dread, but the perky teacher did not seem to notice. "There's no better way to gain an understanding of the way the human mind works than by participating in human activities! Plus, you'll become much better at transformation by staying in your human form during events! All of the clubs will have booths set up throughout the academy after classes. You have until the end of the week to select one. Please join my newspaper club!"

The students took little notice of Nekonome's shameless self-promotion; already a dull buzz had risen in the classroom as they talked amongst themselves about which clubs interested them. Moka nudged Tsukune gently to get his attention.

"This sounds like fun, doesn't it, Tsukune?" Moka said cheerfully. "What club do you want to join?"

"I'm not sure, Moka-san," he replied, scratching his head. "I've never really been in a club before."

"We could join the same one!" offered Moka.

"That's a great idea, Moka," Tsukune said. "Kidoku and Kurumu could come along, too."

"Why Kurumu?" asked Moka, feeling slight twinges of jealousy.

"I figure she'll come along whether we ask her to or not," said Tsukune with a laugh. This morning, Kurumu had once again greeted Tsukune by plunging his face into her chest, much to Moka's chagrin. She was always brimming with energy.

Tsukune looked over at her and was surprised to see that the succubus had not retained any of her vigor from that morning. Her head was down at her desk, and she appeared to be dozing off. Dark lines had begun to form below her eyes. Tsukune wondered how he had missed them that morning, until he realized that he hadn't been able to see any part of Kurumu but her yellow sweater.

Kurumu's fatigue persisted throughout the day; she fell asleep in class twice, and in gym she nodded off and was hit in the head by a volleyball. She snapped to her senses and looked around, embarrassed.

A whistle was blown. "Kurono-chan, take a breather," instructed the gym teacher, Kotsubo, letting the whistle fall from his mouth as he walked to the court's sideline. Kurumu left the court with a look of shame.

After she had taken a seat, Kotsubo knelt next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "What seems to be the matter?" he asked. "You're normally quite lively."

"I'm fine, Kotsubo-sensei," Kurumu said, stifling a yawn, "I'm just a little tired."

"If you say so," replied Kotsubo, completely unconvinced. "Go ahead and sit for the rest of the period."

"Thank you, sensei," Kurumu said, offering a smile. Kotsubo let his hand linger on her shoulder a little longer, then stood up and hurried over to the boys' side of the gym, where a small fight had started.

* * *

After changing and leaving the locker room, Tsukune scanned the hallway for Kurumu. The succubus bumped into him as she left the girls' locker room, but she didn't stop for a moment. "Sorry, Tsukune!" she called back down the hall as she ran toward the end, nearly hitting the wall as she turned left.

_Where was she off to in such a hurry?_ Tsukune had little time to think about it before Moka exited the locker room as well. Upon seeing Tsukune, she immediately attached herself to his arm.

"C'mon, Tsukune-kun!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. "All of the clubs are getting set up around the academy! We should go look around and pick one together." She smiled warmly as she tugged on his arm gently.

Tsukune's thoughts were elsewhere, however. "Sorry, Moka, but do you mind if I meet you there? I'd like to visit Kidoku in the medical bay."

"Again?" asked Moka, surprised. "You've gone every day after class, Tsukune."

"Yeah," Tsukune said with a sigh, "but he's never awake when I visit."

"I understand," said Moka, letting go of his arm. "I'll see you later, Tsukune!"

Moka left the main building via the nearest exit while Tsukune walked to the medical bay. He felt a little guilty about what he'd said; while it was true that Kidoku had been unconscious a few of the times Tsukune had visited, the real reason he had yet to talk to Kidoku was because Kurumu had been by his side constantly. Not wanting to intrude, Tsukune always left, vowing to come back the next day. He couldn't tell Moka that, though; she and the succubus girl had formed a budding rivalry, and Tsukune didn't want to agitate the situation any further.

However, this had been going on for the past three days, and Tsukune had yet to learn Kidoku's current condition. When he entered the medical bay, the receptionist at the front desk glanced up at him, nodded, then returned to her paperwork; she already knew who he was and why he was here. Tsukune nodded back in acknowledgement and then walked down the hall to a familiar sight: a half-open door with the name "Koei Kidoku" on a slip of paper behind a plastic slot.

Tsukune peered inside and saw that Kurumu had beaten him to the punch once again. _That must be why she was running earlier,_ he thought to himself. As he turned to leave, Kurumu's voice called from the room.

"Come in, Tsukune."

Pushing the door open quietly, Tsukune entered Kidoku's room to find that his friend was once again unconscious, though his condition had improved. The bandages that had covered his body were mostly gone, though his chest still had a layer of wrappings over it. His bruises had faded as well, and in any other setting he would look perfectly healthy. On the stand next to him sat yet another basket of cookies.

"How did you know I was here?" Tsukune asked as he dragged a chair away from the wall and set it next to Kurumu. Surprisingly, Kurumu hadn't thrown herself at Tsukune. _Maybe she's more composed because Moka's not around,_ he thought.

"I could smell you from in here," Kurumu replied quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping boy. "You've come by the past few days, haven't you?"

Tsukune nodded and sat down in his chair. "How is he?"

"He's doing much better," Kurumu told him. "Everything has healed except for a few of his ribs, but they're mending smoothly. The nurse says he'll be able to leave tomorrow if he feels up to it."

"That's good," commented Tsukune, observing Kidoku's still form. His beating had been more severe than what Kurumu had endured, but Tsukune still found it odd that Kurumu had healed so much faster. "Kurumu-chan," he asked, "you and Kidoku are the same kind of yokai, right?"

Kurumu blushed lightly at Tsukune's manner of address. "Well, sort of," she answered. "I mean, there's a different name since he's a male, but we're essentially the same type, yes."

Tsukune looked puzzled. "There's a special name for male succubi?"

"Mm-hmm. They're called incubi; Kido-san is an incubus."

Tsukune continued with his deduction. "And if succubi have the power to control men…that means incubi have the power to control women, correct?"

Kurumu nodded vigorously. "My, Tsukune, you catch on quickly!" she said. Kurumu scooted her chair closer to his and took him by the arm. She placed her head on his shoulder and batted her eyelashes at him coyly. "Courageous _and_ brilliant! I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

"Er, uh…" Tsukune stammered, attempting to change the subject. "Does this mean Kidoku has to find a 'miracle mate' too?"

"That's 'mate of fate,' silly," Kurumu corrected him, poking the tip of his nose. "And yes, Kido must also find one, though I doubt he'll have any luck here."

"Why do you say that?" Tsukune asked out of curiosity.

"Well, he's never really shown any interest in a girl. I'm not just talking about love, either; Kido-san acts indifferent to women in general."

Tsukune thought back to what Kidoku had said before. _"She's not my type." "…worried you might be one of those effeminate guys."_ His mind jumping to conclusions, Tsukune shuddered slightly.

Kurumu saw his reaction and giggled. "Don't worry," she reassured him, "Kido-san isn't into men; he's just a late bloomer…in more ways than one."

Not certain where she was going with this, Tsukune simply stared blankly at Kurumu, waiting for her to explain what she meant. Kurumu took Tsukune's left hand and placed it on her right breast. "See how well-developed I am, Tsukune?" she asked seductively. "Kido hasn't finished developing yet. He's smaller and weaker than most incubi his age, his libido hasn't kicked in yet, and worst of all—" Kurumu had been counting off Kidoku's flaws on one hand while forcing Tsukune to continue groping her with the other, "—he can't even use the most basic abilities. If Kido tried to use Allure on a girl, he'd be more likely to charm _himself_."

"That sounds like what you said when you two fought," Tsukune remarked, wresting his hand free.

Kurumu released Tsukune and sank in her chair. "Even if it's true, I was jealous and angry at the time…I shouldn't have brought it up. Kido-san is like a little brother to me. He won't admit it, but I know I hurt his pride."

"How do you know?"

"A big sister always knows!" Kurumu exclaimed in a very matter-of-fact tone. Her serious expression was broken by a sudden yawn. She covered her mouth and apologized to Tsukune. "I was naughty and stayed up late last night. Tsukune-kun may have to punish me," she said with a wink.

Tsukune looked at her skeptically. "Why have you been losing sleep, Kurumu? I saw you out cold in class today."

"Oh, you know how it is with all of this homework," Kurumu said offhandedly.

"Are you sure it's not something else?"

Kurumu faltered momentarily but quickly regained her composure. "Nope, it's my homework!" The succubus forced a smile.

"If you say so," replied Tsukune, not believing her for an instant. "By the way, in case you missed it…today Nekonome-sensei announced that we all have to join a school club. I was thinking the four of us could all join the same one."

"The four of us?" Kurumu repeated.

"You, me, Moka, and Kidoku." Kurumu gritted her teeth when Tsukune uttered Moka's name. "I told Moka I'd meet her outside to take a look at all of the clubs," Tsukune said, standing up to leave. "Could you let Kidoku know when he wakes up?"

"Sure thing!" Kurumu replied, flashing a grin as she stood up as well. She leaned in close to Tsukune and whispered in his ear, "But I'd rather be in a club that lets me have you all to myself, Tsukune-kun."

Tsukune turned red and quickly exited the room, leaving Kurumu alone with Kidoku once more. She giggled to herself as she sat down again. _He's a shy one,_ she thought to herself. Kurumu cast her gaze on Kidoku's sleeping form and smiled softly. _Much like someone else I know._

Kurumu placed her hand on Kidoku's forehead to check for a fever. Satisfied that his temperature had continued to go down, she pulled his sheets up to his neck, then slumped back in her chair and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Tsukune and Moka were amazed by the sheer volume of clubs the academy had to offer. They walked through what seemed to be an endless number of stalls, viewing clubs of all sorts.

"Come join the chemistry club!" A shifty sophomore wearing a white lab coat stepped in their path. He carried a beaker that held a shady-looking fluid. "Akashiya-san, we would be honored if you would test out our new love potion!" The other members of the club crowded in around them, leering intently at Moka.

"Let's go look somewhere else, Moka-san," Tsukune said nervously, pulling her away.

The pair were assaulted by several zealous members of various clubs, all of whom seemed to be gunning for Moka above all else. A boy with a camera offered to feature Moka in the photography club's first spread, a bronze young man in a white robe from the masseuse club attempted to pull her in with a free massage, and three members of the dance club decked out in formal attire begged her for a spotlight dance, to name a few. Each rejected club glared daggers at Tsukune, something to which he was growing accustomed from walking with Moka to class each day.

Tsukune was growing worried; half of the clubs had ulterior motives of a less-than-honorable nature regarding Moka, while the other half all seemed to be extremely weird. _An acupuncture club? _he thought to himself. _**Really? **_"I'm starting to think there aren't any normal clubs here," he lamented aloud to no one in particular.

"Don't be so sure of that," a soft voice crooned. "There's always the swimming club!" Tsukune looked around for the voice's source and found a tall, bikini-clad senior with a very inviting smile. "I'm Ichinose Tamao, the club president. Right now, all of the members are girls…I'm sure we could make you feel welcome." She emphasized the word "welcome" with a wink, causing over a dozen nearby freshman boys to rush over, drooling over the skimpy swimsuits the club members were wearing.

"That sounds normal enough," Tsukune remarked, "and a swim would be really relaxing after everything that happened in the first week of school."

Moka felt uneasy. One the one hand, the swimming club was the absolute last club she wanted to join; on the other hand, however, she felt that she was to blame for everything Tsukune had been through since his arrival, and she owed it to him to grant him a reprieve if she could. Moka did her best to look enthusiastic as she and Tsukune followed the club to the school's outdoor pool.

The swimming club had set out two tables that were covered in swimsuits for both genders for the new recruits to wear. Tsukune took a pair of trunks and split off from Moka, heading to the men's shower room to change. Once they were all done changing, the boys dove straight into the pool and were immediately met by the club members.

Tsukune swam from one end of the pool to the other and then lazily drifted out to the middle of the pool. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the calm environment. _The water is cool, the sky is clear, and I'm not in mortal danger._ Tsukune squinted at the sun's reflection in the water as he reopened his eyes and looked around the pool for Moka; however, the girl was nowhere to be found. To his surprise, Tsukune spotted her sitting on a deck chair near the pool's edge, still wearing her uniform.

"Moka-san, come swim!" he called out happily.

Moka shook her head. "I'm not really feeling up to it right now," she lied.

Tsukune's smile vanished and was replaced with a look of concern. "Are you alright, Moka?" he asked. "Did you eat something bad at lunch today?"

"Oh, Aono-kun, everyone knows vampires hate water!" Tamao had silently snuck up behind Tsukune, and she was now attempting to pull him toward the middle of the pool. "Come with me and we'll work on your form."

Tsukune resisted her tugging. "Is that true, Moka?"

Moka nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Tsukune" she said, crestfallen. "I wanted to join a club that you liked, so I didn't want to tell you…"

"Don't be ridiculous," said Tsukune gently as he moved toward the edge of the pool. "If you don't want to join this club, we'll go pick another one instead." He started to hoist himself out of the pool.

Suddenly Tsukune was pulled back into the water by Tamao. "I can't let you go now, Tsukune-kun," she breathed in his ear. Tamao splashed water in Moka's direction. "If you're not here to swim, please leave, Akashiya-san," she said coldly.

Some of the water made contact with Moka's skin, causing the air around it to hiss and crackle. Moka flinched and cried out in pain.

Tsukune rounded on Tamao. "Why would you do that?!" he demanded angrily.

Tamao laughed darkly. "I can't have a nuisance like her around when feeding time begins."

"Feeding time…?" Tsukune's unasked question was quickly answered by a scream that issued forth from one end of the pool. Two of the swimming club members had grabbed onto one of the freshman recruits; one was holding him in place while the other clamped her fangs down on his neck and drained him of his energy. Horrified, Tsukune turned to see that Tamao had transformed and that the lower half of her body was that of a fish; the other club members quickly followed suit.

"I've had my eyes on you since the opening day ceremony," Tamao told Tsukune as her jaw cracked and extended, revealing multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth, "and now I finally get to eat you, Aono Tsukune! It's nothing personal; it's just how we mermaids are!"

"Stop!" Moka cried desperately.

Tamao sneered at the powerless vampire girl. "Sorry, dearie, but there's nothing you can do but watch as I devour your little friend!"

Moka stood up and took a few steps back from the pool. Her knees were shaking slightly as she thought of what she was about to do. "I won't let you hurt Tsukune!" she shouted indignantly as she ran to the edge of the pool and launched herself at Tamao, landing a hard kick to the mermaid's chest. Tamao was thrown back as Moka fell into the water. The surface of the water emitted large sparks where Moka had entered, and a large cluster of air bubbles quickly rose to the surface.

"Stupid girl," Tamao muttered, assessing herself for damage. "She'll be dead in a minute, tops." Licking her lips, Tamao turned her sights on Tsukune once more and launched herself through the water at him.

Tsukune dove below the surface and swam after Moka's limp form, which was sinking rapidly to the bottom. Panicking, he tore off her rosary as soon as he could reach it, releasing the inner Moka from her chains once more. The prospect of facing Moka's inner personality again frightened Tsukune, but he didn't think Moka would survive if she were left in her current state.

The sudden expansion of demonic energy that accompanied inner Moka's emergence pushed the water away on all sides, leaving a small dry spot that was barely big enough for one person in the midst of the pool.

Tamao was furious. "I won't let you take Tsukune!" she yelled at Moka. "Everyone, attack!"

A pair of mermaids surged through the water heading for Moka from opposite directions. Moka smirked and leapt high into the air, easily dodging the fast but sloppy attacks of the club members.

"Ha! You've left yourself open by jumping up!" Tamao crowed victoriously. "Let's knock her out of the sky, girls!" Tamao and two more mermaids swam toward the dry spot in the pool and quickly thrust hard with their fins, forcing themselves up and out of the water.

"Fools," Moka spat, "you're out of your element." She took down Tamao's lackeys with a sharp roundhouse kick and then positioned herself to counter the club president. "Know your place!" she commanded, dropping Tamao with a brutal axe kick.

Moka landed nimbly in the middle of the dry spot of the pool, which had begun to close up fast. She scooped Tsukune out of the water and jumped up out of the pool once more. The remaining recruits had long since abandoned the pool, using the commotion as a distraction.

Tsukune's heart was still pounding in his chest as he stood up. "Thanks, Moka, I—"

_SLAP!_

"Don't you _ever_ let your other Moka do something that dangerous again!" she growled. Tsukune touched his cheek gingerly; what had happened hadn't quite registered yet in his mind. "You humans are always thinking of yourselves," Moka continued, still seething. "Go away. Now!"

Tsukune was taken aback by the ferocity in Moka's words. He let her rosary fall to the ground with a clatter and walked away silently, ashamed of his unintentional selfishness.

* * *

The next day, Moka was absent from class. Kurumu was too exhausted to take advantage of her monopoly on Tsukune, and she had to lean on him to make it to class without collapsing. Tsukune knew that she had fallen asleep in multiple classes that morning, so he waited for her after gym to help her make it back to her dorm safely. As they were leaving the main building, they came across Nekonome.

"Ah, Aono-kun, Kurono-chan, I've been looking for you," she said. "The two of you still need to join a club."

Tsukune shrugged, taking care not to knock Kurumu off of his arm. "Sorry, Nekonome-sensei. We couldn't find a club to join."

"How about the newspaper club, then? It's on the brink of collapse, so we could always use more members!"

_That sounds safe,_ Tsukune thought to himself. "We'll join, sensei."

"I'll join too!" Moka came running down the hall.

Tsukune gave her a puzzled look. "Aren't you angry with me?"

"Huh? Of course not! I just needed to rest after what happened yesterday." Despite this, seeing Kurumu relying so much on Tsukune was irritating her slightly.

"Great!" exclaimed Nekonome, ignoring the personal conversations going on. "We've got three new members, then!"

"Four, actually," said Tsukune. "Kidoku will probably come along as well."

Nekonome frowned. "According to the class register, Koei-kun has already selected a club."

"Really?" Tsukune asked, surprised. "Which one?"

* * *

In the middle of a line of freshman boys all dressed identically stood Kidoku. His only outer garments were a plain white robe with a faded grey sash to hold it together; even his shoes had been removed.

_I'm going to become stronger._ His mantra echoed over and over again in his head as he waited for the club's president to arrive. Kidoku shivered slightly from anticipation. He had been standing still for less than five minutes, but already it felt like an eternity.

Finally, the president arrived. He also wore a white robe and no shoes, but his sash was black. He had dirty blonde hair and an expression that seemed easygoing and strict at the same time. He walked down the line of recruits, examining each one as he passed. After making a full round, he walked to the middle of the line and stood in front of the recruits so that they could all hear him.

"Greetings, scrubs!" the young man's rugged voice rumbled. "I'm your team captain, Miyamoto Haiji. Welcome to the karate club!"


	4. Chapter 4: Clubs Commence!

**Author's Note: **I do not own Rosario+Vampire in any way. Now, on the topic of the story...after reading 4zn ninj4's review, I realized the reason that I didn't enjoy writing the last chapter as much was because I was following the manga too closely. I was planning on deviating from the main story once most of the characters were introduced, but that would take quite a while, and if you guys wanted to read the first five volumes of the manga, you'd just do that instead of reading this. After a while of thinking, I decided to alter my initial idea significantly, and the following is the end result. That might explain why this one is the longest one yet...oh well. Thank you to 4zn ninj4 for helping me to see the light!

* * *

"Greetings, scrubs! I'm your team captain, Miyamoto Haiji. Welcome to the karate club!"

Thus began Kidoku's experience as a member of the karate club. To the young incubus, Haiji gave off an air of extreme confidence in addition to raw power. The bulky sophomore held the attention of all seventeen freshmen recruits as he revealed what was in store for them.

"The karate club is a place where a man's fighting spirit burns like the sun!" Haiji said passionately, thrusting a fist in the air. "Or a woman's fighting spirit," he added to appease the two female recruits, who seemed irritated at his unintentional chauvinism. "Here, we hone our technique until our fighting style is a fluid dance of power and emotion!" Haiji emphasized his point by pounding his fist into his palm. "However, in order to properly train you, we must see how you stack up against each other. To that end, I will pit each of you against each other in one-on-one combat!"

"I will keep track of your wins and losses," said a voice from behind the line of freshmen. A tall, thin senior with short-cropped grey hair and a robe similar to Haiji's approached them silently. He looked like a stone statue, and only the fact that he was moving could prove otherwise.

"Kaze, it's rude to be late," Haiji scolded.

"I apologize, Haiji," the imposing figure replied, "but my last class was let out late."

"Oh, you know I'm just giving you a hard time," Haiji said casually, grinning. "Everyone, this is the club's vice-president, Ishidzukuri Kaze."

All of the recruits gave a short bow to Kaze, who responded in kind. Kaze stood at Haiji's side and surveyed the line of newcomers with eyes that gave no indication of his inner emotions. After looked up and down the line several times, he pointed to two of the freshmen. "You and you…you will fight first."

"By the way," Haiji interjected, "transformation is strictly prohibited. There's no fun in besting someone if you're seven times bigger than your opponent. Fight clean and stop when your opponent surrenders. If you break these rules, either one of us—" he gestured to himself and Kaze, "—will be forced to intercede. You don't want that."

Kidoku was practically shaking with excitement as he watched the first two freshmen square off and begin fighting. He couldn't wait to put his strength to the test against his classmates.

An hour later, and all of Kidoku's initial enthusiasm had vanished. Of the seventeen new members, Kidoku was ranked at the bottom of the list. He reflected on what went wrong in each of the fights as he massaged his ribs, which had taken quite a beating. No matter how much he thought about it, though, Kidoku couldn't figure out what he had done wrong. He hadn't made any foolish charges, he had taken care to guard himself when it was appropriate and to counter when the opportunity arose. _I'm just too weak, I guess,_ he thought. _There's not really anything else it could be._

His moping was interrupted by Haiji's booming voice. "Ha! What a display of tenacity and fortitude!" the enthusiastic captain exclaimed. "I was moved by the beautiful symphony of determination and fury that you composed here before me!"

"You're laying it on a little thick, boss," remarked Kaze.

"Now that that's out of the way," continued Haiji, ignoring Kaze's comment, "we will move on to our first club activity: a grand display of our might for everyone to see! Well, actually it's just the sculpture club who will see. They've received their first shipment of raw materials and need us to cut them down to size."

"You'll be breaking rocks," Kaze translated.

Haiji glared at him, but his hot-blooded mood soon returned. "You will be assigned to help their club members based on your ranking! This will prevent any of you from taking on material you can't handle! There's no pain greater than wounded pride." Haiji slammed his fist into his palm once more. "Let's go, men! …Er, and women!"

Kidoku sighed and trudged along with the rest of the freshman behind Haiji and Kaze. The sculpture club was situated outside the east wing of the academy, and just as Kaze had said, there were several humongous stone blocks of varying colors and textures. Haiji met with the club president, a squat young man with a bald spot and several splotches of clay on his arms. After a brief discussion, the two of them began directing members of the karate club to different materials.

Finally, only Kidoku was left. Haiji and the sculpture club president spoke in hushed tones.

"He's lacking in power, but he seems eager to prove himself," whispered Haiji.

"I don't know, Haiji," replied the president. "I don't want anyone hurting themselves."

"Come on, surely you've got something he can handle, right? Perhaps clay?"

"Well…one of our members prefers ice over stone or metal…that might be easier…"

"Great!" Haiji exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Point us in his direction!"

"Her, actually," the president corrected him. "She's down there at the far end."

Kidoku glanced in the direction the club's president was pointing, but he couldn't make out the form of the person at the end of the row of students. Kidoku began walking to his assigned position with a feeling of inadequacy; he knew that he was being sent to work on weaker material than the others. _With my luck, it'll be marshmallows or cotton candy. That'll be a great ego booster._

As he drew closer, Kidoku could see more clearly the girl he'd been chosen to help. She had long lavender hair that extended past her shoulders, and she wore a plain white shirt with baggy black sleeves. Her socks came nearly up to her knees, but they weren't ordinary thigh-highs; hers were pink-and-purple striped socks. The entire ensemble looked extremely unusual to Kidoku. _I know people always assume artists are all eccentric and quirky, but that's still going a bit overboard._

Kidoku halted next to the girl's large ice block. From up close, Kidoku noticed that the girl's skin was very pale, almost to the point of being transparent. She turned to face him and tilted her head, giving him a curious look with her azure eyes that had no pupils. Kidoku wasn't sure what to say to her, and the girl's silence was unnerving, so he turned his attention to the block of ice. _I've just got to break this down, right? Piece of cake._ Rearing back, Kidoku punched the block dead-center as hard as he could.

Pain shot up his arm like lightning, and it was all Kidoku could do to keep himself from swearing at the top of his lungs as he waved his arm frantically. The ice block showed no signs of damage. Muttering darkly under his breath, Kidoku extended his claws and slashed away at the block to vent his anger. One swipe became two, which quickly turned into a rapid flurry of cathartic strikes. Within seconds it had been reduced to a pile of ice chunks, each of which was no bigger than a fist.

The girl bent down and picked up one of the newly-made chunks. She turned it over in her hands, tapped on it, and then threw it back over her shoulder. "Too small," she said flatly.

Kidoku's shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry," he said, embarrassed. "I didn't mean to get so carried away. I'll make it up to you if you'd like."

The girl shook her head. "Don't worry. Watch." Her hands changed into crystalline claws of ice, and her hair faded until it resembled frost as well. The smaller blocks of ice merged together and reformed into a single large block, which then cracked in several places and fell apart to reveal a sculpture that looked like a perfect replica of the girl who had sculpted it.

The scene left Kidoku gaping at the statue of ice. "But, if you could do that," he started to say, "then why did you need my help?"

"I didn't," the girl responded, "though it was funny to watch you try." She giggled and moved the remaining ice into a pile behind her.

"Gee, thanks," Kidoku replied glumly. "I take it you're a snow woman, then?" The girl nodded wordlessly. Kidoku gazed at the sculpture, amazed by the incredible likeness it bore to its creator. "Do you make statues of other people?" he asked.

"Like who?" the girl returned, shifting the ice into various shapes.

"I don't know…maybe your friends?"

"I don't really have any."

"What?" Her reply was so nonchalant that it caught Kidoku off guard. "What do you mean, you don't really have any?"

The girl crossed one leg behind the other and looked at the ground. "I'm a little shy. I'm not good at talking to complete strangers, and nobody came up to me, so I never got to know anyone."

Kidoku felt a wave of pity for this girl crash over him. He didn't know anything about her, but she seemed friendly enough; it was wrong that she was friendless. "Starting today," he said boldly, "I'll be your friend." Suddenly, Kidoku realized he had never introduced himself. "My name is Koei Kidoku, by the way." He extended his hand to her in greeting.

The girl looked uncertain of him at first, but then a small smile crept across her lips. "Shirayuki Mizore," she replied. "Nice to meet you. I was wondering what you would be like."

"Huh?" Kidoku asked, puzzled.

"Four seats up, two seats to the right," Mizore explained. "You've been absent a lot recently."

"We have the same classes?" Kidoku asked, surprised. "Why haven't I seen you before?"

"Like I said, you've been absent a lot recently."

"Oh, right…"

Before Kidoku could ask her about her oddly descriptive response, Haiji called for all of the karate club members to return. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, Mizore," Kidoku said. "Maybe we could…walk to class together tomorrow?" He felt awkward asking, but he didn't want Mizore to be lonely.

"Um…could it just be the two of us?" Mizore asked nervously. "I don't know if I want to meet your other friends yet."

"Sure," said Kidoku, wondering how she knew about who he walked with to class. "I'll see you then. Good luck with your sculptures!"

Kidoku left the site of the sculpture club feeling much better than when he arrived. He had made a new friend, but what made him happy was that he was Mizore's first friend at Yokai Academy. Lost in thought, Kidoku did not notice what was happening behind him.

Mizore manipulated the ice into another figure, one slightly taller than the first. Hairline cracks spread across its surface, and a familiar figure emerged from the block. The likeness was crude at best, as she hadn't seen him for very long, but it was evident that the statue was meant to look like Kidoku. Mizore smiled and gazed at her newest creation. "My friend," she whispered softly.

* * *

The next morning, Tsukune waited outside the boys' dormitory for Kidoku. He didn't get the chance to talk to him yesterday, and while he wasn't offended by Kidoku's choice to join the karate club over the newspaper club, he was still curious about his reasoning.

"Tsukune-kun!"

Tsukune turned around and found himself once again suffocating between Kurumu's breasts. After a few moments of struggling, she finally released him. "Good to see you're back to normal, Kurumu-chan," he said, gasping for air.

"I've never slept so long in ages!" Kurumu said, stretching out. "I fell asleep as soon as you brought me to my room." She pressed herself against Tsukune again and put her hand on his cheek. "Though I would have liked it more if you had stayed with me for the night, Tsukune-kun." She winked at him mischievously.

Tsukune's head soon filled with thoughts that made him turn a bright shade of crimson. "Oh, Kurumu-chan, you're so funny," he said, laughing nervously as he pushed her away. As they walked to the main building of the academy, Kurumu latched onto Tsukune's arm. Deciding it was useless to resist, Tsukune allowed her to hold onto him.

Up ahead, Tsukune spotted Kidoku walking with someone he didn't recognize. He started to walk faster to catch up to them when Moka stepped into his path.

"Good morning, Tsukune!" she greeted him cheerfully.

"Ah, good morning to you too, Moka-san," Tsukune said distractedly as he craned his neck to get a better look at Kidoku's companion. Seeing his outstretched neck, Moka felt the blood rush to her head as the familiar hunger overtook her thoughts.

"Tsukune-kun," she said weakly, "may I?"

"Sure, sure, just let—YAAAH!" Tsukune's attention had been elsewhere, so he was not prepared when Moka sank her fangs into his neck. His vision blurred momentarily from the sudden blood loss, and when his eyes regained focus, Kidoku and his mysterious friend were nowhere to be seen.

When the three of them arrived to homeroom, they found Kidoku already sitting down with a notebook out and a pencil in his hand. Tsukune took his seat next to him and pushed thoughts of that morning aside in favor of more pressing matters.

"It's good to have you back," Tsukune began.

"Thanks," Kidoku replied dully. "It's too bad you never visited." Tsukune opened his mouth to protest, but Kidoku turned around with a huge grin on his face and cut him off. "Just kidding! Kurumu-chan told me everything I missed."

Tsukune breathed a sigh of relief. "What exactly did she say?" Tsukune asked, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"She said you came by each day I was resting but you didn't come in because she was there," Kidoku said, repeating what Kurumu had told him during one of his brief periods of consciousness. "The doctors said she wouldn't leave my side until visiting hours were over, and even then, they had to throw her out." Kidoku smiled wryly. "I'm positive she would've been there no matter when you came by."

Tsukune chuckled. "I suppose that would explain why she's been so tired lately."

"You don't know the half of it. There were times when she woke me up with her snoring!"

The two burst into laughter at the image. Tsukune was glad Kidoku was out of the medical bay; he was the only friend he had that wasn't constantly vying for his affection. He brought a welcome reprieve from the rivalry between Moka and Kurumu.

Remembering why he needed to talk to Kidoku, Tsukune chose his words carefully. "Moka, Kurumu and I have all joined the newspaper club," he said, changing the subject bluntly. "We were hoping you'd join too, Kidoku."

"I've already joined the karate club," Kidoku said apologetically.

"Yeah, that's what Nekonome-sensei told us," Tsukune replied. "You can switch, you know."

Kidoku thought back to the previous afternoon and the sixteen consecutive defeats he had suffered. Joining a non-competitive club sounded tempting, but Kidoku shook the thought from his mind. "Thanks, but I think I'm going to stick with it."

"Out of curiosity…why the karate club?"

Kidoku hesitated for a moment, not sure of how to respond. "I…have my reasons," he said cryptically.

Before Tsukune could pursue the subject further, however, Nekonome entered the room and class began. When Kidoku responded during attendance, the classroom broke into a dull buzz as low whispers and rumors flew from student to student regarding where the incubus had been the past few days. Their voices fell silent when the first lesson began, but many of them stole quick glances him.

One student in particular kept her eyes on him for nearly the entire period. From the back corner of the room, Mizore let her gaze wander across the entire class before finally resting on the back of Kidoku's head. Their walk to class that morning had been nearly silent; Mizore had commented that the combination of his uniform, hair, and eyes made Kidoku look like a skinny tree, and he had laughed, but otherwise there had been no conversation. Mizore didn't mind the quiet, though, and simply enjoyed having someone to walk with her.

* * *

At lunch, Tsukune sat down between Moka and Kurumu and looked around for the missing fourth member of their group. "Where's Kidoku?" he asked the others.

"He's eating with some girl he met yesterday," Kurumu responded, lifting her rice to her mouth. "Apparently she's really shy, so he didn't want to introduce her to us yet."

"He did seem preoccupied in class today," added Moka. She took a sip of tomato juice and wiped her lips clean with a napkin. "Could it be a date?"

"I hope so," said Kurumu between bites. "It's about time he showed some interest in girls."

Tsukune sighed, resigned to the fact that it would only be the three of them eating lunch together. _At least they aren't fighting over me,_ he thought.

"By the way, Moka," Kurumu said, "don't you think you bit Tsukune a little hard this morning?"

"I didn't bite any harder than I normally do," Moka replied innocently.

"Oh yeah? Then why did he scream?" Kurumu demanded, jabbing a finger at her. "If you're not careful, you're going to seriously hurt him, and then I'll have to seriously hurt _you_!"

As the two of them picked up their squabbling once more, Tsukune put his head in his hands and stared down at his untouched plate._ I guess it was too good to be true.

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Kidoku took a seat next to Mizore behind a large clump of shrubbery in the courtyard, setting his tray down carefully on the grass. Kidoku took a long swig from his orange juice before asking Mizore, "Why here?"

"The view, of course," she replied as though the answer were plain as day.

Kidoku looked around at the greenery around them. "What view? We're surrounded by bushes."

"Exactly," said Mizore, "so we can see them but they can't see us."

"Them?"

Mizore pointed through a gap between the bushes. Kidoku peered through and saw a group of students laughing and eating together at a table. Mizore looked through another hole and watched a freshman and a sophomore that were engaged in an arm wrestling match.

Kidoku frowned. "I don't really understand, Mizore-chan," he said, confused.

"A-Are you always so informal with people?" she asked, taken aback by how he had called her. A tinge of red crept into her cheeks.

"We're friends, so I thought it would be okay," Kidoku responded. He scratched his head and thought for a moment. "I could call you Shirayuki-san if it really bothers you," he offered.

"No, Mizore-chan is fine," Mizore replied hastily. She decided to return to the original subject. "What don't you understand?"

"Well…what are we doing back here?"

"People-watching," Mizore said, smiling. "It's amusing to just sit and watch people. You can learn a lot about a person just from watching them. Take that girl, for example." Mizore pointed to an average-looking girl from the table Kidoku had been looking at. One of her friends must have told a joke, because she was laughing and smiling broadly.

"Yeah, what about her?" Kidoku asked, intrigued.

"She doesn't like the way she looks," Mizore asserted confidently.

"A lot of girls don't like the way they look," Kidoku replied. "That's too vague."

"Fine, I'll be more specific: she's struggling to keep a diet. The past five days, that girl has ordered only a salad and juice for lunch, but it's obvious she hates vegetables. She usually eats about half of it and picks at the rest. When her friends go to put away their trays, she sneaks a few cookies and joins them. Oh, and that laugh is fake. When she thinks no one is looking, she's glaring at the girl at the end of the table." Kidoku looked back and, sure enough, the girl was staring jealously at her friend at the end of the table. Kidoku noticed she was much prettier and looked like she was the one telling the jokes. "She might envy her beauty, or her popularity, maybe both; either way, they definitely aren't friends."

Mizore wore a smug grin as Kidoku sat there, flabbergasted by her incredibly in-depth judgment. "Not bad," he remarked. "What can you tell me about me?"

Mizore thought about it for a moment. "Very little," she replied. "You haven't been around much. But I noticed you hold your pencil funny when you write. It gives you cramps close to the end of the period."

Kidoku nodded, amused by this little game. "Anything else?"

"Mm-hmm. You're worried about your busty friend."

"Kurumu? How can you tell?"

"You kept looking over at her, but unlike the other boys, you weren't staring at her chest."

Kidoku smirked. "She hasn't been getting much sleep lately because of me. I was worried that she might get sick."

"Your other friends are worried about her too."

"Really?" he asked, genuinely surprised. "I can understand Tsukune caring, but not Moka."

Mizore shrugged. "That's all I've seen," she said.

"You're pretty perceptive, Mizore-chan," Kidoku said, praising her. Not sure of what to say, she busied herself with her food; Kidoku followed suit.

* * *

After gym, Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu headed back to room 103 for the first meeting of the newspaper club. When they arrived, the room was empty except for Nekonome.

"Good afternoon, you three!" she said enthusiastically. "Welcome to the newspaper club!"

"…Sensei, are we the only members of this club?" Tsukune asked warily.

"Of course not!" the feline teacher replied. "Your editor should be here soon."

"Sorry I'm late!" As if on cue, the final member of the club entered the room. He was a tall sophomore with a dazzling smile and moderately long black hair that he held back with a plain red headband. He was carrying two bouquets of roses, one pink and one red, and a digital camera hung from a cord around his neck.

"Everyone, this is Morioka Ginei, your editor. He's an upperclassman, so feel free to ask him any questions." Nekonome turned to the late sophomore. "I've got to go to a faculty meeting, so I'm leaving them in your capable hands."

"You can count on me, sensei," he said, giving a mock salute. Once Nekonome left, he walked up to the two girls and gave them each a bouquet; the pink roses went to Kurumu while the red ones went to Moka. Ginei plucked one of the red roses and leaned in close to Moka. "It's a shame that this flower is nothing more than a pale imitation compared to your beauty," he drawled.

"Um…thank you, Ginei-senpai" Moka responded, flustered by the man's straightforwardness.

"Please, call me Gin," he replied with a wink. Moka edged closer to Tsukune, much to Gin's dismay.

Gin walked to the front of the room and sat down at Nekonome's desk. "Your job as members of the newspaper club is to report all happenings of interest at this school," he instructed. His tone was much more serious now. "When you joined this club, you volunteered to put yourselves on the front lines. There's no story too dangerous for us to tackle." After pausing for dramatic effect, his stern expression cracked and he chuckled. "But seriously, have some fun. Now, let's get to work! We've got to print by Wednesday!"

The rest of the club's meeting time was spent working on the appearance of their club room. Moka was in charge of removing the posters from the previous year from the walls while Kurumu used a rickety stepladder to pin new ones just below the ceiling. As she stuck the last thumbtack into one of the posters on the wall, the stepladder wobbled and tipped, and Kurumu fell off of it. In a flash, Gin was there to catch her.

"You should be more careful, darlin'," he said smoothly.

Kurumu scowled. "Put me down right now!" she hissed.

"Gin-senpai, is there anything I can do to help?" asked Tsukune, feeling useless.

Gin set Kurumu down and stroked his chin as he walked over to Tsukune. He glanced over his shoulder at Moka, and a wolfish grin spread across his cheeks. "I've got just the thing for you." He put his hand on Tsukune's shoulder and led him out of the classroom.

Kurumu glared daggers at the back of Gin's head. When he had caught her, his left hand had clutched at her breasts, and his right hand slid a little too far up her inner thigh for her liking. After waiting until they were sufficiently far ahead of her, Kurumu slipped out of the classroom to follow them, leaving an oblivious Moka alone in room 103._ I don't trust you, Morioka Ginei!

* * *

_

Outside, Mizore sat contently among the bushes, watching students from various clubs walk to and fro in the distance. The sculpture club finished much earlier than the karate club today, so she was on her own for a while. She had been bored for most of the wait, but several of the girls' athletic teams had passed by a few minutes ago and had provided some amusement, no matter how brief. From behind her, Mizore could hear the sounds of more people approaching. She ducked behind her cover and waited with bated breath to see who was coming.

"Gin-senpai, where are you taking me?" asked Tsukune nervously. Mizore recognized him as Kidoku's friend that he was always talking to in class.

"Relax," Gin said reassuringly, "this is something my senpai showed me when I was your age. See that window up there?" He pointed to a small rectangular window just below the roof of a squat building. "Take a look through there. It's a riot!"

Tsukune was still unsure, but he began pushing a crate over to the window so he could reach it. "Why didn't you bring Moka and Kurumu along?" he grunted as he strained against the heavy box.

"Oh, they're _girls_, they wouldn't get it," Gin said dismissively. "This'll be our own little in-joke."

Meanwhile, Kurumu had caught up to them, and peeked around the corner to see what was going on. From what she could see, Tsukune was moving a box against a wall while Gin stood back and talked. Kurumu thought the building seemed familiar, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Moka's a very beautiful girl, Tsukune," Gin mused as Tsukune climbed on top of the crate. He leaned against a nearby tree and posed dramatically. "For me, it was love at first sight."

"Huh? Why are you telling me this?" As Tsukune stood up, he heard noises coming from the window. He turned around to peer through the glass.

As Gin raised his camera to his eye, Kurumu realized that the building was the girls' locker room. "I can't have you getting in my way," Gin answered. From his perch, Tsukune could see an entire room full of girls changing clothes. Without hesitation, Gin snapped several pictures.

"Gin, what is this?!" Tsukune demanded.

"It's not nice to peep, Tsukune," Gin scolded mockingly. "What would Moka think?"

_That bastard!_ thought Kurumu. _Oh, I knew he was up to something! Wait till I get my hands on—_

_SHK! SHK! SHK!_

"Eh?" Gin looked down to see that his uniform had been pinned to the tree by three blades of ice. "W-WHAT?!" He struggled against his bindings to no avail.

Caught by surprise, Kurumu rounded on the spot in search of the person who had trapped Gin. She looked in time to see something purple duck down behind a bush.

Tsukune jumped off of the crate and ran over to Gin. "Gin-senpai, you tried to set me up!" he accused.

"Shhh, Tsukune, not so loud!" Gin urged. "If they hear us—"

"That would be bad for you, wouldn't it?" Kurumu stepped out from behind the building with a wicked smile on her face. "Tsukune, please go back to the club room. I'll take care of this."

"But—"

"Moka's probably realized by now that we're all gone," Kurumu interrupted. "Go let her know we're okay."

Tsukune nodded and left without another word. Kurumu then turned her gaze back on Gin. She walked toward him, her devious smile growing with each step.

"K-Kurumu-chan, what are you doing?" Gin asked nervously. He did not like being held captive.

"Just borrowing your camera, senpai," she said casually as she lifted it off of his neck. Going through the memory, she deleted the incriminating pictures of Tsukune.

Gin groaned as she unraveled his plot to smear Tsukune. "Great, fine, you deleted the photos," he grumbled. "Can you let me down now?"

"I'm not finished," Kurumu replied. She began to pace in front of Gin. "When you were copping a feel in the club room, I didn't scream. Perhaps I should now?"

Gin turned white. "You wouldn't."

Kurumu giggled wickedly. "Payback's a bitch, senpai." Kurumu shrieked loudly, grabbing the attention of all of the girls who were currently changing. Kurumu retreated to a safe distance and waited for them to come outside.

"Hey, someone moved a crate next to the window!"

"There he is! He's a peeping tom!"

"You pig! Pervert!"

Kurumu took over a dozen shots; after all, she wanted to have a good selection to choose from for the front page story of the club's first print. As she exacted her revenge, Kurumu remembered the flash of lavender she had seen retreating behind a bush. Satisfied with how many pictures she had taken, Kurumu walked over to where she had seen the person hiding.

When she looked behind the bushes, no one was there.

* * *

**Author's Note:** For some reason, I have a very hard time picking out lines that I think do a good job of keeping Mizore in-character. If you have any suggestions (or if you think I did an alright job), please let me know in a review. With any luck, I'll have the next chapter up by the weekend.


	5. Chapter 5: Honor

**Author's Note: **When I started writing this chapter, I wasn't sure of how long it would be. By the time I was halfway through, though, it was already as long as the first chapter! I decided it would probably be for the best if I broke it into two smaller chapters, since the overall result would have had about 7000 words before I edited it (yikes!). One unfortunate side-effect of this split is that this particular chapter focuses a lot on Kidoku's characterization, while the rest of the cast command the spotlight in the next one. I apologize for this uneven balance, but that's just the way it worked out. Another unfortunate result is that Gin is cast in a very negative light in this chapter, while he is seen much more positively in the next. When reading, please keep in mind that the two were intended to be one chapter.

By the way...does anyone know if it is "Haiji" or "Haji" for sure? I've seen both before, so I didn't know which to use...

As usual, I don't own R+V.

* * *

Mizore fidgeted and adjusted her skirt; she was not accustomed to sitting in trees. However, the karate club practiced in an open area, and the nearest cover she could find was this tree, so exceptions had to be made. She reached into her pocket and removed a lollipop. Mizore took off the wrapper and stuck the candy in her mouth, feeling her body cool down immediately. Her legs dangled idly in the air as she gripped the thick branch that supported her, peering through the mesh of leaves at the club's activities.

Eleven pairs of students dotted the open field, all squaring off in untransformed physical combat. Mizore scanned the cluster of white robes for Kidoku's unmistakable green hair and found him locking horns with boy of similar size and build, but within moments Kidoku had been knocked off his feet, landing hard on the unforgiving ground. He scowled as he pushed himself off the ground, but Mizore noted that once he was standing his dour mood was completely hidden by an eager grin, giving the impression that no matter how much abuse came his way, he would be ready for more.

After another twenty minutes of observation, Mizore saw the group's activity halt. The members shook each others' hands, and after a brief huddle led by a man Mizore could only guess was the club president, they split up and left the meeting site for the day.

Kidoku walked alone, staring off into space and absorbed in his thoughts. He analyzed the results from the sparring sessions that had been held that day, going over each one in his mind. _I favor my right side when punching, but I favor my left side when kicking,_ he thought. _My left jab is faster than my right, and my right cross is stronger than my left. My left block needs work. I need to improve my leg muscles if I want my kicks to be effective. I need to focus on using my heel for—_

"Hello, Kidoku-san," Mizore said, dropping out of the tree as Kidoku passed under it. Her sudden appearance next to him forcibly broke Kidoku's reverie, and he yelped with surprise and threw up his arms to defend himself before he realized he wasn't being attacked.

"Oh, Mizore-chan, you scared me," he said, breathing slowly to soothe his pounding heart. "What were you doing in a tree?"

"Watching you fight," she replied. The two began walking toward the locker rooms.

"Were you impressed by my stellar technique?" Kidoku asked wryly.

Mizore looked puzzled. "I thought you were losing, actually."

Kidoku sighed and stared at the ground as he walked. "Yeah, I suppose I was. I didn't really want any of my friends to see me fight until I'd gotten better."

Mizore's stomach fluttered slightly at Kidoku's inclusion of her in his group of friends. "You don't look very excited when you're fighting, Kidoku-san," she remarked. "Why bother with it?"

"It's personal," he replied flatly, deflecting the question. "Why do you sculpt? You seem like you're already pretty capable, and I doubt that club could actually teach you anything."

The snow girl lazily rolled her lollipop from one side of her mouth to the other. "They told me I had to join a club, so I picked the one that seemed the easiest."

"Can't really argue with that," Kidoku said. Glancing over at his companion, his eyes were drawn once more to the curious white stick that hung out of the corner of her mouth. He hadn't had the courage before to ask Mizore what it was, but finally his curiosity got the better of him. "Mizore-chan, what's that thing that's always in your mouth?"

Mizore pulled out the candy and showed it to Kidoku. "It's a lollipop," she said simply.

"A lollipop?" Kidoku repeated. Somehow, he had expected something more interesting.

"Yep. I freeze them and suck on them later to help keep my body temperature down." Mizore placed the lollipop in her mouth once more and sighed contentedly. Kidoku shrugged and did not pursue the matter any further.

The two had arrived at the boys' locker room, not far from where Mizore had pinned Gin to the tree earlier. "I'm gonna hit the showers, Mizore," Kidoku said. "Losing miserably always makes me work up a sweat." Mizore grinned, causing Kidoku to smile in turn. "I'll see you Monday, Mizore-chan."

Kidoku headed into the locker room, leaving Mizore to return to the dorms by herself. She took a brief detour near the girls' locker room to see what had become of the treacherous man she had trapped, but no one else was around. There were marks along the ground that suggested that something, or perhaps some_one_, had been dragged away from the site. Mizore shrugged and walked back toward the girls' dormitory until she found a nice clump of greenery to sit behind while observing passersby.

* * *

When Kidoku emerged from the locker room freshly showered and back in his school clothes, he spotted Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu leaving the main building. Kidoku ran over to walk with them, noting as he met them that Moka seemed to have something on her mind.

"Kido-san!" Kurumu greeted him brightly. "How was your first club meeting?"

"It was great!" Kidoku lied, smiling. "It was actually our second meeting; we had our first yesterday."

"Is that where you met that girl?" Tsukune piped in.

"What girl?" Kidoku asked, confused.

"The mysterious girl you had lunch with, of course!" Kurumu said, gripping him by the shoulders. "What's her name? What class is she in? Is she willing to bake for you? C'mon, Kido, your big sis needs details!"

"Kurumu-chan, I think you're forgetting that I'm older than you," Kidoku pointed out. Before she could protest, he turned to Tsukune and said, "By the way, she's not in the karate club."

"Oh, good…" Tsukune said, sighing with relief. Having two powerful monster girls for friends was already making Tsukune feel inadequate; one more might be more than his pride as a man could take.

"Why do you want to know so much about her anyway, Kurumu-chan?" Kidoku asked suspiciously.

"You've never shown any interest in girls before, Kido-san, so this is a big deal!" Kurumu exclaimed. Her excitement reminded Tsukune of a child with a new toy; suddenly, he felt sorry for Kidoku. "It's only natural that I should take interest in the girl my little brother has chosen!"

"You're reading too much into the situation, Kurumu," Kidoku replied, ignoring the "little brother" remark. "She didn't have any friends, so I thought I'd be nice and hang out with her."

"That's very sweet of you, Kidoku," said Moka, offering a small smile. She remembered her first day at the academy, and how happy she had been to have Tsukune as a friend.

"Thank you, Moka-chan," he said, sticking his tongue out at Kurumu. The succubus pinched his cheeks in retaliation, snickering as he yelped and struggled against her. Kidoku rubbed his cheeks tenderly and changed the subject away from his relationship with Mizore. "How was the first meeting for the newspaper club?"

"Interesting, to say the least," Tsukune said, chuckling anxiously. "Let's see…we've already got our first front page story, which is about our editor getting caught peeping in the girls' locker room, he tried to frame _me_ for peeping because he has a thing for Moka, and I'm pretty sure he groped Kurumu."

"Is that all?" Kidoku asked in disbelief.

"That about sums it up."

"Tsukune and I are going to write the main article together!" Kurumu said, jumping back into the conversation. "We'll make sure that nasty Gin gets what he deserves!" She smiled and pressed herself against Tsukune, who gently pushed her off of himself.

A shadow passed over Moka's expression, and Kidoku could see she had the same worried look on her face as she did when he first walked over. He moved to her side and nudged her shoulder gently.

"What's the matter, Moka-chan?" he asked.

"I…um…" Moka faltered, "…I don't know what I should write about." _I'm really worried about how much time Kurumu is spending with Tsukune,_ she thought._ She said they're writing the article together because they were both there when it happened, but I know what she's up to. If this goes on, Tsukune's going to forget about me completely!_ Moka cringed at this last thought.

"Why not do an interview?" Kidoku suggested, oblivious to Moka's distress. "If you want, I bet I could convince the captain of the karate club to let you interview him."

"What's he like?" Tsukune interjected.

"He's…" Kidoku struggled to find the right words. "Well, he's…loud. I suppose he's just energetic. But hey, why are you asking me? If Moka interviews him, she'll be able to tell you a lot more than I can."

"That's true," Tsukune replied, "but the only guys I've met here so far are you, Saizo, and Gin. Saizo's a molester, and Gin's a pervert. I don't want Moka to be alone with a guy when there's a one-in-three chance he'll try something shady."

Moka's heart skipped a beat. _Tsukune really __**does**__ care!_

"If you're so worried, you should go with her, Tsukune," Kidoku remarked.

"I think I will," Tsukune said resolutely. Behind him, Kurumu was glaring at Moka, who was doing her best not to grin like a fool. The succubus attached herself to Tsukune's arm, much to his confusion.

"Thank you, Kidoku-san," Moka said softly, beaming. "I really appreciate it."

"That's what friends are for, right?" Kidoku said sheepishly. "I'll talk to him tomorrow at practice."

The four of them continued on their way, joking and conversing happily about the day's events as they headed back to the dorms for the night. Unbeknownst to them, a pair of icy blue eyes with no pupils followed their movements from the safety of a dark bush.

* * *

The following morning was Saturday, and while everyone else on his floor was still sound asleep, Kidoku awoke and trudged into the shower, hoping the warm water's gentle touch would lift his fatigue. Most clubs met on Saturday, but the karate club met very early in the morning by Kidoku's standards; worse yet, they met Sunday as well. Kidoku sighed deeply as he washed away his worries and stress under the hot stream.

Once he finished showering, Kidoku wrapped his towel around his waist and brushed his teeth, examining his reflection as he did. He still had no signs of facial hair, and the brightness of his eyes made him look younger than he was. Kidoku frowned and scowled at the mirror, attempting to make himself look more mature and masculine, but the face that stared back just looked like an angry child. He finally gave up and returned to his room. Kidoku put on his robe and sash and slipped on a pair of sandals to wear until he reached the training field, grabbed a granola bar to eat along the way, then quietly left the dormitory.

As he ate his bland breakfast, Kidoku took in all of his surroundings. He didn't like waking up this early in the morning, especially on the weekend, but even he had to admit that it was the most beautiful time of day. The sun had only just begun its ascent in the sky, and its slanted rays lit up the morning dew like gleaming diamonds dotted about the grass. The air felt clearer, and as he took in a deep breath, Kidoku had a feeling that today would be a much better day than the last.

Kidoku arrived a few minutes early, but most of the other club members were already there and had begun to stretch out. Haiji paced in front of them and announced what lay in store for them that day.

"Welcome to your first Saturday meeting, scrubs!" he proclaimed grandly. "The upperclassmen already know what's going to happen today, but I'll fill you all in: we'll be doing guided evaluations!" The freshman looked at each other to see if anyone understood what was going on. Haiji continued, "The other members of the club have at least one full year's worth of experience over you, so we're going to split you up into groups and have them give you pointers on how to improve your technique. Show them what you can do, and make me proud!" Haiji thrust his fist in the air, an action that was becoming all too common in his rousing speeches.

As Kaze began dividing up the freshmen and assigning them to upperclassmen, Kidoku walked up to Haiji. Bowing first, he asked, "Haiji-senpai, might I ask a favor of you?"

"Perhaps, Koei," he replied. "What is it that you desire?"

"Well, my friends are in the newspaper club, and—"

"The newspaper club?" Haiji repeated, intrigued. "Is Morioka Ginei still in that club?"

Kidoku recalled Kurumu mentioning someone called "Gin" when they last spoke. "Uh, I think so, senpai," Kidoku answered, "but I think they call him Gin."

"Well of course they do!" Haiji exclaimed. "The name 'Ginei' sounds a bit fruity compared to 'Gin.' Still, I thought that old dog would've learned from last year…"

"Senpai?" Kidoku was confused by Haiji's vague ramblings.

"Well, that's neither here nor there," Haiji said, coming back to reality. "You were saying?"

"Right. My friends are in the newspaper club, and one of them needs a story to write, so I told her I'd ask you for an interview. What do you say, senpai?"

Haiji stroked his chin for a moment. Kidoku envied the stubble that grew on the sophomore's chin, but he didn't let it show. At last, Haiji reached a conclusion. "I'll give your friend an interview," he replied, "but on one condition."

"You name it," Kidoku said, ecstatic that he was going to help Moka.

"Beat either me or Kaze-senpai in a match," he stated, grinning. "You pick which."

Kidoku's heart sank; he knew he didn't stand even the slightest chance of pulling off a victory, even transformed. Still, he had promised Moka he would get her that interview, and he couldn't back down now. He knew from listening to the murmurs among the upperclassmen that Haiji was a terror to behold in a fight, but he knew nothing of Kaze's ability.

"I pick Kaze-senpai," he said, deeming him the less threatening of the two. It stood to reason; if Haiji was the captain of the club, he was probably the strongest member. Therefore, Kaze would be easier to defeat, or in Kidoku's case, less painful to lose to.

Haiji grimaced. "Bad choice, kid. I would've gone easy on you."

"I keep hearing my name, Haiji," Kaze said as he walked over. "What are the two of you talking about?"

"Little Koei here has a friend who wants to interview me," Haiji informed him. "I told him I would agree to it if he could best either of us in combat, and he chose you."

Kaze smirked. "Very well, but since I'm doing the fighting, I would like to be interviewed as well."

"I didn't know there was a vain side to you, Kaze-senpai," Haiji teased.

"And I didn't know you could be so lazy as to delegate this task to someone else, boss," Kaze shot back.

Haiji sighed. "Fair enough. I'll have everyone clear a space for the two of you."

The other club members sat in a row near the sideline of the area established for the match. Haiji stood in front of the line and addressed the small crowd as though he were a sports announcer.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the scenic plains of Yokai Academy!" he rumbled deeply. "Our match today is between old favorite Ishidzukuri Kaze and newcomer Koei Kidoku! Can this bold upstart overthrow the old brute known as 'The Stonewind'? In this heated match, their manly spirits will clash and give us all the answer!" The crowd was roaring with laughter and cheering at Haiji's over-the-top antics. Even Kaze cracked a grin. Kidoku, on the other hand, took his stance nervously.

Kaze took his stance and nodded at Haiji. "Ready…" Haiji raised his right arm and then brought it down quickly. "FIGHT!"

Kidoku braced himself for Kaze's attack, but it never came. He looked up and saw that Kaze's eyes were locked on him in a dead stare. With his outstretched palm, he beckoned Kidoku to make the first move. Sweat began to form on his brow, and he looked for any openings in the upperclassman's stance; naturally, there were none.

Resigning himself to the inevitable, Kidoku charged Kaze and threw a pair of punches followed by a roundhouse kick. Kaze deflected the first punch with his palm, sidestepped the second punch, and caught Kidoku's leg on the kick. He swung Kidoku in a circle and released him, sending him flying. Kidoku hit the ground hard and scrambled to his feet.

"Well, look at that, folks!" Haiji exclaimed loudly. "Kaze used a brutal opening toss, but the tenderfoot won't go down yet!" The freshmen cheered Kidoku on while the upperclassmen watched Kaze with amused looks; they knew how this fight would end, and it would not be pretty.

"They say the best offense is a good defense, Koei," Kaze instructed. "Think about your position and direction as well as the types of moves to employ."

Kidoku ran through his options in his head. _Yesterday somebody did an awesome six-hit combination on me, so I could try that…or I could start off with a side kick and turn it into a spin ending in a hook…but that leaves me too open…maybe I sh—_

"Too slow!" Kaze roared. In a flash he was upon Kidoku, catching him unaware with a swift jab and lifting him off his feet with a vicious uppercut. Kidoku wheezed frantically as the wind was knocked out of him. He grunted as he landed, and Kaze continued the cruel lesson.

"Of course, they also say the best defense is a good offense," Kaze lectured. "Frankly, I rather like the contradiction the two statements make. Don't you, Koei?"

_It's hard to like something when you're using it to beat me to a pulp,_ Kidoku thought. He got up once again and resumed his stance, panting heavily.

Kaze smirked wickedly. "Go ahead and transform, Koei-kun. Let's see what you can really do."

Kidoku glanced uncertainly at Haiji, who nodded his approval. Two jagged slits were torn in his robe as Kidoku's wings broke through and unfurled in the morning breeze. Taking to the air, Kidoku flitted back and forth in an attempt to disorient Kaze.

"I see…" remarked Kaze pensively. "You're more agile in your undisguised form. But are you stronger?"

_Why don't you find out?!_ Kidoku pulled his fist back and dove, throwing a punch harder than any before straight at Kaze's chest. To his surprise, Kaze didn't even try to block it; he took the punch squarely, without even flinching. Kidoku felt pain fork like lightning through his arm. _It's like punching a brick wall!_

"What amazing composure! What sterling resistance!" Haiji cried. "They don't call him 'The Stonewind' for nothing, folks! Ishidzukuri Kaze shrugs off his opponent's attacks and keeps on going!"

The freshmen gasped at the surprising development, but the upperclassmen had seen this coming. Even if Kidoku could land a hit, he wouldn't be able to scratch Kaze's rock-hard exterior. They had seen Kaze run this routine before, and now that his victim's morale was broken, the only thing left to do was finish them off.

While Kidoku was still stunned from his ill-fated attack, Kaze clasped his hands together, leapt up, and swung them down hard into Kidoku's back, spiking the incubus directly into the ground below. Kidoku gasped at the unexpected impact, spittle flying from his mouth. As Kaze fell, one of his legs turned to stone. He thrust it down hard into the earth as he landed. The shockwaves knocked the spectators off of their feet and propelled Kidoku's limp body into the air. Without a moment's hesitation, Kaze spun on the spot and, using his non-stone leg, planted a brutal kick into Kidoku's stomach.

Kidoku's vision faded and wavered and he saw stars and explosions before his eyes. He skidded along the ground before coming to rest in a cloud of dust. He rolled onto his back and massaged his abdomen, groaning in pain.

"Well, there you have it, folks!" Haiji announced. The upperclassmen applauded politely while the freshmen looked on in horror. "The undefeated Ishidzukuri Kaze adds another notch to his belt! What a remarkable display of calm intensity and controlled fury! Truly one for the—"

"Not…yet…" Haiji trailed off as a weak voice rose, accompanied by heaving and panting. Kidoku had turned back on his stomach and had forced himself up onto one knee. He was gasping for air as he stood upright, nearly falling over as he did. "I'm not…finished…not yet!" Kidoku declared defiantly in spite of his frail voice. His hands shook violently as he took his stance once more.

Kaze frowned. "You're better off staying on the ground, boy," he growled. "You were beaten by every single other member of this club. What the hell possessed you to make you think you could go toe-to-toe with me, a senior? You're wasting everyone's time, Koei."

Kidoku smiled in spite of the pain. "Sorry, senpai…but my friend is…counting on me. I won't…let her down!"

"Kidoku, give up," Haiji pleaded. He had stepped onto the field and was no longer joking around. "I imposed that condition as a joke! I didn't think you would accept!"

"But he did," Kaze said coldly, walking toward Kidoku, "and he was a damn fool to do so." As the unforgiving fighter approached, Kidoku threw one last punch in desperation. Kaze caught his palm and pulled him forward by the arm.

Haiji opened his mouth to oppose him, but before he could do so, Kaze gripped Kidoku by the collarbone and held him in place. "He's a damn fool," Kaze repeated flatly, "that's for sure. But he's got guts, and I respect that." Kaze patted a stunned Kidoku on the back and walked away. "You've earned your interview, kid," he said over his shoulder.

Sighing with relief, Haiji clapped Kidoku on the shoulder. "You did well, Koei," Haiji said. "Even though Kaze beat the tar out of you, your form was excellent, and you never stayed down."

"Why are you so quiet, senpai?" Kidoku asked, having finally caught his breath. "I thought you would be yelling something about fire and manliness and the usual stuff."

Haiji glanced around him to make sure no one was close, then leaned in close to Kidoku. "Don't tell anyone," he whispered, "but that's all just an act. It gets everyone motivated and ready to do their best, so I put on that little show every day."

Kidoku started to reply, but Haiji interrupted him. "I think you've had enough for one day, Koei. Go home and get some rest."

The weary incubus nodded and headed back to the boys' dorm. Despite his crushing defeat in front of everyone in the karate club, Kidoku felt empowered by the experience. Haiji claimed his form was good, too, and he had managed to get Moka an interview; all in all, the morning was a success. These thoughts brought a smile to Kidoku's face as he threw himself onto his bed and fell asleep immediately.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'll post the next chapter sometime either tonight or tomorrow depending on what kind of feedback I receive. Yukari is finally going to enter the story! Also, I'm trying to improve the fight scenes by making them a bit longer and giving more important details, so please let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6: Loneliness

**Author's Note:** Here's what was originally the second half of the last chapter. It's a bit shorter, but that's only because what comes next is better suited to having its own chapter than being lumped in with this one. Yukari comes in during this chapter, and more focus will be put on Mizore. For those of you who may have been irritated that the last chapter focused mainly on Kidoku because he's an OC, you'll be happy to know that he has minimal stage time in this chapter, and his role is primarily to advance Mizore's character. I'm also going through season two of the manga to make sure I don't derail Haiji's characterization.

Most of my friends have gone back to school for the spring semester, but I'm still on break, which means I've got nothing to do during the day but write. I should have another chapter up sometime in the middle of the week.

As always, I do not own R+V.

* * *

Monday morning came all too quickly for Tsukune. He had spent much of Saturday sleeping and ended up with very little time on Sunday to finish his weekend homework. To make matters worse, a panicked Moka paid him a visit on Sunday afternoon asking him to help her find someone to interview. Apparently Kidoku hadn't contacted her yet to let her know whether or not he had secured the interview, so Moka attempted to find an alternative.

After talking to Nekonome, Tsukune and Moka found a suitable candidate. Moka agreed to the interview because the girl offered a unique perspective on life at Yokai Academy, and Tsukune agreed to it because it seemed safe for Moka. The interview was set for Monday afternoon once classes were over, specifically in the newspaper club's meeting room.

Unfortunately, helping Moka had come at a price, and Tsukune had to stay up most of the night in order to finish his homework in time. Now as he walked to class he found it difficult to keep his eyes open, and his awareness flickered like a candle in the wind.

"Morning, Tsukune-kun!" Moka greeted him with her usual sunny disposition. Her mood had improved greatly since Friday. "May I please suck your blood?"

"Nnngh," Tsukune mumbled, nodding slowly as he did. Moka squealed with delight and sank her teeth into Tsukune's willing neck, savoring the rich flavor of his blood as she drank deeply.

After a few moments, Moka pulled away and wiped her mouth. "Thanks Tsukune!" Without warning, Tsukune pitched forward and fainted, landing in Moka's arms as she barely managed to catch him. The girl shook him slightly to see if he would wake up, but to no avail.

"What have you done to my Tsukune-kun?!" shrieked Kurumu as she ran to her fallen friend's side. "You drank too much this time, Moka! I warned you what would happen if you hurt Tsukune!"

"Calm down, Kurumu," Tsukune interjected groggily, "I just fell asleep." As if to prove his point, Tsukune let out a wide yawn and stretched his arms out.

"Why didn't you say so?" Kurumu asked. The anger in her voice had been replaced with her normal flirtatious tone. "Here, rest your head on these pillows." As she did every morning, Kurumu pushed Tsukune's face in between her breasts. To her dismay, snoring could soon be heard escaping from her chest. Moka giggled as Kurumu attempted to wake Tsukune again. "I didn't mean literally!" she exclaimed, shaking him by the shoulders.

Once they arrived in class, Tsukune fared no better. He folded his arms across the top of his desk, put his head down, and was snoozing a good five minutes before homeroom would start. Kurumu watched over him intently, her face crossed with worry. _What if Moka really did cause this? I'll never forgive her if she ever hurts Tsukune. Never!_

Next to Tsukune, Kidoku stared blankly ahead, wrapped up in his own thoughts. Mizore had been completely silent during their walk to class that morning, and something about the way she was acting made Kidoku feel like he had done something wrong. He pushed the thought to the side when Moka took her seat.

"Good morning, Moka-chan," he said politely. "I got you the interview!"

"Oh…well, I already, uh…found someone else to interview…" Moka stammered, embarrassed that she had given up on Kidoku. In an attempt to avoid offending him, she quickly added, "But I'm sure we could use your captain for next week's issue!"

Kidoku wanted to scream and tear out his own hair, but he just shrugged and said, "Alright, just let me know when you want to talk to him."

* * *

At lunch, the tension was tangible as Kidoku and Mizore ate together. Mizore wasn't looking at him, and her silence was making him extremely uncomfortable.

"Is something wrong, Mizore-chan?" he prodded gently.

"Kidoku-san, why are you friends with me?"

Kidoku frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Are you just here because you feel sorry for me?" Mizore looked Kidoku directly in the eye.

When he returned her gaze, Kidoku could see that behind the anger, there was something else in Mizore's eyes…pain? Regret? "Mizore-chan…that's—"

Mizore stood up and gathered her belongings. "I don't need your pity," she said quietly, walking away.

"Mizore, wait!" Kidoku called, hurrying to catch her. Without even slowing down, Mizore made a wall of ice rise up between the two of them, stopping Kidoku in his tracks. He tried running around it, but by the time he had reached the other side, Mizore was gone.

Mizore did not speak to Kidoku for the rest of the day. After gym, she quickly changed clothes and ran out of the academy building, heading for the forest. As she fled, she did not notice a mysterious figure following her at a moderate distance.

* * *

Meanwhile, Moka hurried back to the newspaper clubroom and started tidying up in preparation for her interview. Tsukune and Kurumu walked in a few minutes later and sat near the front of the room to begin working on their article, leaving Moka plenty of space for her interview. Just as she finished cleaning, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" called Moka.

The door opened to reveal a girl who looked far too young to be attending the academy. Over her school uniform she wore a witch costume, complete with a cape and a tall pointed hat that added at least a foot to her appearance. This was most likely intentional, as the girl was very short. Her face was framed by raven-colored hair, and her violet eyes betrayed her anxiety as she entered the room cautiously.

"Sendo Yukari?" Moka asked. The girl nodded and walked over to Moka. They both sat down and Moka began the interview.

"Sendo-san," Moka began, "there is a rumor going around that you're very smart and that you were allowed to skip ahead in school. How old are you?"

"Eleven," Yukari replied nervously.

"Wow, that young?" Moka remarked, impressed. "You must be a genius!"

Yukari beamed at Moka. "You're embarrassing me, Moka-san."

"Yukari-san, as you are probably already aware, the first round of exams for freshmen is approaching in a few weeks," Moka continued, switching to a less formal tone. "Do you have any tips for students that are having trouble studying?"

"Absolutely not, desu!" Yukari proclaimed loudly. Her outburst caused Tsukune to snap to attention, and he was ready to intervene if the interview turned sour.

"Er…why not?" Moka asked cautiously, taken aback by Yukari's reaction.

"They're always mean to me!" Yukari yelled angrily.

"Who do you mean?" Moka pried.

"Everyone!" Yukari looked ready to explode. "They treat me horribly because I'm a witch, desu! Always saying nasty things…even when I'm around…" Yukari's voice quavered and her lip trembled. "Everywhere I go, it's always '_there goes the filthy little witch_,' or '_I can't believe they let her come to school here!_' I…I…" The young witch finally broke down and let the tears pour down her face.

Moka left her seat and put her arms around Yukari to console here. "I'm so sorry, Yukari-san. To think that you had endured such cruelty—"

Suddenly the door burst open and a student poked his head inside the room, scanning the room. When his eyes fell on Yukari, he gasped and returned to the hall.

"She's in here, boss!"

Moments later the student returned with three more, and none of them looked happy. Their leader pointed a finger at Yukari. "Sendo, you're going to pay this time!" he snarled.

Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu all looked up at the new arrivals. "What's going on?" asked Tsukune. They could handle one angry monster, but he wanted to avoid confronting four at once if possible.

"That devious little witch pulled a prank on us at lunch! We're here to get our rev—OUCH!"

While the student was explaining the situation to Tsukune, Yukari had pulled out her magic wand and used it to make an aluminum washtub fall and hit him in the head. "Go away, desu! I'm not afraid of you big dummies!" she yelled, waving her wand menacingly.

"Heh…you'll regret that, you nassssty little brat," the boy hissed, his forked tongue flicking out of his mouth. The four students dropped their disguises at once; hard green scales covered them from head to toe, long tails extended from their backs, and their eyes morphed into yellow orbs with black slits.

"Lizardmen?!" Kurumu gasped.

"Yessss," growled the leader, extending his black claws, "and now we're going to punissssh you, Ssssendo!" The pack of lizardmen charged at Yukari, fangs bared and claws ready to strike.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

Tsukune glimpsed a silver streak before two large furry paws gripped two of the lizardmen by the head and smacked them together. The mysterious attacker floored a third victim by sweeping his legs out from under him and following up with an axe kick to the chest at blinding speed.

The leader of the pack stopped and gaped at the man who had made short work of his flunkies. "Who the hell are you?!" he demanded.

Tsukune watched as the unidentified savior walked slowly toward the last lizardman. He was wearing a school uniform, but a coat of black fur covered his skin, and a tail poked out of his khakis, swishing in rhythm with his steps. He had the face of a wolf, but Tsukune saw something familiar about it. His eyes fell on the red headband holding the werewolf's hair back, and suddenly the student's identity dawned on him.

"Gin-senpai?" he asked, wanting to confirm his suspicion.

"In the flesh," Gin said, flashing him a toothy grin. He turned his focus back to the lizardman. "I'm the newspaper club's editor, and I don't like it when people like you attack my club members."

"You ssssicken me," spat the lizardman. "Sssstrutting around acting like you're sssstrong after a ssssurprissse attack? Let'sss sssee what you've got, you filthy dog!"

Gin's eyes narrowed at the word "dog." His grin turned into a menacing sneer. "You got it, pal."

Without warning, Gin vanished…or so it seemed. The angry werewolf ran circles around the lizardman, disorienting him with his unmatchable speed. The lizardman swung blindly at him, but he flailed at empty air time and time again.

"Where are you aiming?" Gin taunted. "I'm over here!"

The lizardman turned in the direction of Gin's voice, but the swift werewolf had already moved.

"No, silly, to your left!" he crowed, provoking his opponent.

The lizardman pounded the nearest desk in frustration. "You coward! Ssshow yoursssself and fight me! Where are you?!"

"Behind you."

Rounding on the spot, the lizardman frantically attempted to slash Gin across the chest; Gin nimbly hopped backwards out of his range, then launched himself forward and drove his elbow into the unlucky student's gut. He doubled over in pain, and Gin seized the opportunity by grabbing his head and slamming it straight down as he thrust his knee upward. A sickening crunch could be heard from the collision, and Gin let his opponent fall to the ground to writhe in agony and defeat. His lackeys scrambled out of the room in a hurry, carrying their beaten leader.

Gin reverted to his human form and smoothed his hair back into place. He then walked to the front of the room and sat in Nekonome's chair, propping his feet up on her desk. Acting like nothing had happened, Gin began barking out orders.

"Tsukune, make sure you pay attention to the page margins before you submit the final draft of your story," Gin instructed. "Kurumu, please go through all of the pictures you took on Friday and pick the three that you think make me look the most handsome. Resize them to fit along with Tsukune's article."

"Gin-senpai, are you serious?" Kurumu asked, flabbergasted.

"Of course! There's no such thing as bad PR, darlin'," he responded. "Moka-chan, please come see me once you've finished your interview."

"What do you need, senpai?" Moka asked.

"We need to compare schedules so I can set up a date, of course!"

Moka scowled. "I don't like perverts, senpai."

"Neither do I!" he replied with a wink. "We'll talk after you're done, alright?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" Moka's protests fell on deaf ears, though, as Gin was already busy looking through what Tsukune had written so far. Moka sighed and turned back to Yukari. "Sorry, Yukari-san, we'll continue now. …Yukari-san?"

Yukari was staring at Gin in wonder and awe. When Moka finally snapped her out of her trance, she blushed deeply.

"I won't put this in the interview," Moka said, "but what exactly did you do to make them so mad?"

Yukari giggled. "They were teasing me last week, so today at lunch I made their pants fall down when they walked by a group of girls, desu."

"Don't you think that pulling pranks on people is just going to make you more of an outcast?" asked Moka, trying to make a passive suggestion.

"I don't mind being alone, desu," Yukari said. "I always have been." Only a faint flickering in her eyes gave away Yukari's strong façade.

Moka felt an enormous feeling of compassion swell within her. "You don't have to be if you don't want to, Yukari-san," she said kindly, putting her hand on Yukari's arm and giving her a warm smile.

The tears Yukari had only just finished wiping away returned once more, and Yukari hugged Moka tightly around the waist and sobbed quietly while Moka patted her head and whispered soothing words.

* * *

The pack of lizardmen skulked off into the forest to lick their wounds. They set down their leader once they made it to the cover of trees. He groaned as he gingerly touched a hand to his face and tried to clear away some of the dried blood that had formed around his mouth and nose. His toadies tended to their own injuries, grumbling about their embarrassing defeat. One of them spotted something moving in the distance, and when he moved in for a closer look, he saw that it was a girl.

"Bosssss! There'ssss a girl walking around out here by hersssself!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Heh…just what we need, boyssss," the leader said, licking his lips as he slowly got to his feet. "A way to let off a little ssssteam."

Mizore tossed a rock at the small lake in the midst of the forest. She watched as it skipped across the surface and tried to distract herself from the thoughts that kept entering her head. She had enjoyed spending time with Kidoku, and he was the first real friend she'd had in a while. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was just being nice to her out of pity, and her wounded pride would not allow her to accept his charity.

A rustling noise from the foliage behind her caught Mizore's attention. She let her disguise fall slightly as her hands became claws of ice, and she glanced behind her nervously.

A twig snapped to her left. Mizore whirled around and flashed her icy claws. "Who's there?!" she called out into the trees.

"Jussst ussss." The four lizardmen slowly converged on her from all sides.

"Stay back!" Mizore warned them, turning back and forth to avoid keeping her back to them.

"Don't do anything sssstupid, girl," the leader hissed. "Thissss will only take a few minutessss." The four beasts laughed wickedly as they continued to move in closer.

Mizore turned the ground to ice beneath them and froze all four in blocks of ice. She looked around to confirm that all of them were frozen solid and sighed with relief.

Suddenly one of the ice blocks cracked and shattered, followed shortly by the remaining three. The lizardmen shivered and glared at the snow woman. "You sssshouldn't have done that, little girl!" the leader snarled. "After we're done with you, I'm going to pick your bonessss clean!"

Four long tentacles shot out from between the trees and wrapped themselves around the midsection of each lizardman. Before they could react, the unfortunate monsters were smashed forcefully against the surrounding trees, knocking them unconscious and splintering the trunks.

"Are you alright, Shirayuki-chan?"

Mizore searched frantically through the trees for her rescuer. Kotsubo stepped out from behind one of the broken trunks, his tentacles receding as he reverted to his human form.

"Kotsubo-sensei?" Mizore whispered in disbelief.

Kotsubo nodded and stepped over one of the fallen lizardmen. "You were behaving oddly in gym today," he told her. "I was concerned, so I came to speak to you. Is everything alright?"

_He was worried about me? _Mizore blushed and hid her face. She walked up to Kotsubo and silently hugged him, burying her face in his chest. "I…" Thoughts of Kidoku flooded her mind, but she stamped them out; he was not the kind of friend she needed. "Everything is fine…now…"

Kotsubo wrapped his arms around Mizore. "You can stop by my office if you ever need someone to talk to, Shirayuki-san."

"Thank you, sensei," Mizore said softly. A wicked gleam flashed across Kotsubo's eyes, and a sinister smile curled upon his lips.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yeah, it's a little short compared to my other chapters...and honestly, I'm starting to wish I had submitted the two as one. If you guys would prefer chapters like this one and the last one to be submitted as one big chapter or two smaller chapters from here on out, please let me know. Also, if you have any comments about the story or opinions on how I could improve my writing, don't be afraid to tell me in a review! I appreciate all criticism as long as it's not outright flaming.

Thanks to everyone who has continued to read this story! You guys really motivate me to keep going!


	7. Chapter 7: What Matters Most

**Author's Note:** You may have noticed that I changed the name of this fanfic. I was considering how long I wanted to make this, and I realized that considering when I wanted to end it, the title would only make sense up until about 2/3 of the way through. This would lead to me splitting them into two VERY uneven stories, so I decided to break it into three, each of which will still be moderately long. The Greatest Pain will be the title of the second installment.

Wow, this chapter ended up being _extremely_ long. This chapter was largely intended to develop several characters while starting to set up the main plot, so I didn't really want to shorten it or split it up...and with how long I waited to update, I felt like I owed you guys an extra-big chapter.

While re-reading the manga, I realized that there have been several time-skips up to this point in canon, since their first newspaper edition is supposed to come out in July while the school year starts in April. To rectify this situation, I will be altering the interactions with the Public Safety Committee slightly in order to move time ahead. I apologize for this in advance, but I will do my best to avoid making it too jarring; basically, I plan on having the newspaper club comply for at least a few weeks before rebelling.

Does anyone else find it funny that the first horizontal line break adds almost 400 words to the word count, but each subsequent one only adds 3? This chapter was about 5800 words in MS Word, and even here it was only about 6k before I started editing...

As usual, I do not own R+V.

* * *

The next morning Kidoku was met with a bleak grey sky when he left the boys' dorm. Despite the overcast atmosphere, he doubted it would rain; it never seemed to at the academy, probably as a precaution to avoid harming students with a weakness to water. Kidoku generally disliked water because he could not swim, but he found himself wishing it would rain. Perhaps the tiny droplets pounding away at his skull could take his mind off of Mizore's words.

_I don't need your pity._

The worst part was that Kidoku _did_ befriend her because he felt sorry for her, but rather than pity her, he truly empathized with her. His thoughts drifted to his childhood, and how lonely he had been until he met Kurumu. Kidoku began to wonder if Kurumu had done the same thing he had. _Is it really such a terrible thing to do? Can't it lead to a normal friendship?_ It certainly had with Kurumu; Kidoku had never resented her presence for a second. Why had Mizore been so offended?

With his head in the clouds, Kidoku accidentally walked into Tsukune, causing him to pitch forward into Moka.

"Huh?!" Kidoku exclaimed, looking around frantically as he regained awareness. "Oh…sorry about that, Tsu—"

The incubus stopped short as he saw the situation he had created: Tsukune's collision with Moka caused them both to fall to the ground. Tsukune had landed with his body directly over Moka's, his hands on either side of her slender frame. Moka's hair was splayed all around her, and their faces were uncomfortably close together.

Shaking off his initial daze, Tsukune looked down and saw the position he and Moka were currently in, and after a moment of stunned shock, he hastily got to his feet, embarrassed enough for both of them.

"I'm so sorry, Moka-san!" he apologized, offering a hand to help her up. She took it gladly, still blushing from the way Tsukune had leaned over her. His heavenly aroma had clouded her mind, and Moka knew she couldn't fight her craving.

"Tsukune…please?" she asked weakly, giving an apologetic smile.

"Of course," Tsukune said knowingly. He pulled his collar down slightly and braced himself as Moka sank her fangs into his neck. He was growing more and more accustomed to the odd ritual each day, but the slippery feeling of his blood being sucked out of his neck still made him shudder whenever he thought about it.

When she was finished, Moka sealed the punctures by running her tongue over them, sending a shiver down Tsukune's spine. She smiled warmly at him, and he attempted to do the same in spite of the sudden fatigue he always felt when Moka fed from him.

Moka looked over Tsukune's shoulder and saw Kidoku standing behind him, looking away awkwardly. "Good morning, Kidoku-san!" she greeted him happily.

"Morning, Moka-chan," he replied, his eyes still averted. "Sorry I knocked you guys down."

"Don't worry about it, Kidoku," Tsukune said, brushing it aside. "Are you walking with us today?"

Kidoku nodded. "If you'll let me, that is," he added guiltily.

"Why wouldn't we?" Tsukune asked rhetorically, patting Kidoku on the back. "Did you bring that mysterious friend of yours? Kurumu's been chomping at the bit to meet her."

"I doubt she'd let me introduce any of you," Kidoku sighed sadly. "We had a bit of a falling-out, and I don't think she wants to talk to me anymore."

"What happened between the two of you?" Moka asked, concerned.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Kidoku replied, dismissing the issue. "Where's Kurumu? Usually she's wrapped around Tsukune by now."

As if on cue, a loud squeal of "TSUKUNE!" came from behind the trio, and Kurumu launched herself at the unsuspecting boy. Tsukune glared daggers at Kidoku before his vision was cut off entirely by Kurumu's ample chest. The incubus responded by smiling innocently, enjoying the amusing routine. He right at home now that he was with his friends again.

After releasing a breathless Tsukune, Kurumu set her sights on Kidoku. "Good morning, Kido-san! Where's your little lady-friend?"

"I don't know," Kidoku said flatly. "We had a…disagreement."

Kurumu cocked an eyebrow at his unnatural pause. "You know what your uncle would say, Kido-san."

"Yes, I do," he muttered irritably at the mention of his uncle, "and I don't think it's going to help here."

"Don't be silly!" Kurumu exclaimed. "It's working great so far on Tsukune!" She looked over her shoulder at Tsukune and batted her eyelashes sweetly. "Right, Tsukune-kun?" she asked.

Tsukune didn't know how to respond, and he wasn't too sure he wanted to know what Kurumu and Kidoku were talking about. Luckily for him, Kurumu didn't seem to be waiting for an answer, and she continued teasing Kidoku.

"I'll tell you what, Kido," she said slyly, "I'll help you win over your friend…if you help me with my math homework!"

"I don't need your help!" Kidoku said, exasperated. "And if you need help in math, you don't have to bargain with me. Just ask!"

The two continued their banter all the way to homeroom. As they walked, Tsukune hung back and walked next to Moka. He elbowed her gently and pointed at Kidoku and Kurumu.

"Kurumu told me that Kidoku is like a little brother to her," he told her. "I never really saw it before now, but they do act a lot like siblings."

Moka smiled shyly and nodded in agreement. She had managed to pull Tsukune away from Kurumu for a few precious minutes as they walked, and she did not want to say anything that might spoil the mood.

Once they arrived in class, Kidoku glanced back at Mizore's desk. She had her head turned to the side and was staring out the window, though her eyes weren't focused on anything in particular. Kidoku considered walking back to talk to her, but thought better of it. _Maybe she just needs time,_ he hoped.

* * *

"You seem happy today, Tsukune," Kidoku remarked as he set down his lunch tray.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Kurumu interjected. "After all, he gets to sit next to me, the loveliest girl in the whole school!" She wrapped herself around his arm tightly and nuzzled his shoulder.

Tsukune looked helplessly at Moka, who was growing indignant with Kurumu's behavior. She opened her mouth to protest, but Kidoku spoke up first.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Kurumu-chan," Kidoku said playfully, "because Tsukune knows how loudly you snore. That's not very lady-like."

"Kido!" Kurumu cried. She reached across the table and punched him in the shoulder. "That's just mean!"

Kidoku laughed and shrugged. "He was bound to find out sooner or later, you know."

"Does he know you scream like a girl when you're scared?" Kurumu shot back.

Kidoku gasped and feigned embarrassment. "That one was below the belt! This means war!"

Tsukune looked back at Moka, who was now smiling and laughing at the antics of Kurumu and Kidoku. Tsukune sighed with relief and chuckled to himself at their continued argument. Kidoku was correct; Tsukune _was_ happy today, but the perceptive incubus had yet to ascertain the reason.

_I'm glad Kidoku is back,_ he thought. _He's a good friend, but more importantly, he knows how to break up the girls' squabbling._ Tsukune began eating his lunch contentedly, enjoying this brief reprieve.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mizore was quietly eating lunch a few halls down in Kotsubo's office. Her observation habits made her naturally quieter than most, but eating lunch alone with the man who had rescued her the previous day had filled her with a timidity that silenced all thoughts of speaking. As Mizore ate, Kotsubo gnawed on a rice ball, gazing intently at the pale beauty sitting only a few feet away.

"What's troubling you, Shirayuki-chan?" Kotsubo asked casually.

Mizore swallowed the last of the fish she had been eating and stared at the floor. "I don't feel like I can trust anyone, sensei," she replied quietly, shifting in her seat as she did.

"You know you can trust me."

Kotsubo stood behind Mizore and placed his hands on her shoulders. Mizore leaned her head back and looked up at his face, which was upside-down to her. In spite of this, she could see that his friendly smile was genuine, and there was something in his eyes that told her he would not let her down.

Sighing, Mizore relented. Having finished her lunch, she unwrapped another lollipop and put it in her mouth, letting her eyelids droop as the cold, soothing feeling washed over her body. Now slightly more at ease, Mizore cleared her throat and began to speak.

"It won't make much sense unless you know a little more about me," Mizore informed him, still unsure as to whether or not Kotsubo was someone to whom she could divulge her past.

Kotsubo pulled up a chair and sat facing Mizore. "Why don't you start from the beginning, then, Shirayuki-chan?" he offered.

"It's a long story," Mizore said, not wanting to admit that she was making excuses. "I don't think I'll be able to tell it all before lunch is over."

"You're welcome to come by every day if you would like," Kotsubo replied warmly, "and if you want, I'd be happy to talk to you here after school as well."

Mizore balked at his willingness. She hadn't expected for him to be so eager to hear what she had to say, but now that he was, Mizore didn't know what to do. There was a voice in the back of her head telling her not to trust him, but it was the same bitter voice that had made her a loner for so long. She tuned it out and placed her faith in Kotsubo.

"Before I start, there's one thing I ask in return, sensei," Mizore said.

"Anything you like, Shirayuki-chan."

Mizore looked away and blushed slightly at what she was about to say, but her voice gave away none of her insecurities. "Please…call me Mizore-chan."

Kotsubo smiled. "As you wish, Mizore-chan."

* * *

Much to everyone's surprise, Nekonome was present at the start of the newspaper club meeting. After each of them greeted her, Moka and Tsukune sat down to put the finishing touches on their respective articles while Kurumu pulled a box of supplies out of the closet. As she sifted through the tools they would be using to lay out their final draft, Nekonome approached her with an envelope in hand.

"Kurono-chan, this letter for you was outside the door," she said, holding it out for Kurumu to take.

Kurumu set down the box of tools on a desk and accepted the letter from Nekonome. The envelope read "To my beloved Kurumu," and near the bottom it was signed "Nagare."

_A love letter?_ Kurumu thought to herself. She had received plenty of them when she was younger, but at Yokai Academy it seemed that most of the male population was smitten with Moka. Curious about this mysterious Nagare, Kurumu opened the envelope to find a small note and several pictures.

There were several upskirt shots and a few of Kurumu wearing nothing but lingerie. Kurumu turned red as she leafed through the pictures, each shot more risqué than the last. When she had seen them all, the succubus decided to read the note that had been included. Whoever Nagare was, he was threatening to spread the pictures throughout the school unless Kurumu met him at the Monster Tree that afternoon.

_This is no love letter…this is cold-hearted blackmail!_

Taking a break from the tedious task of altering his article to fit with the pictures and margins provided, Tsukune glanced around the room to see what everyone else was doing. Moka was diligently typing up her article about Yukari, smiling as she did. Tsukune knew that she was doing everything in her power to cast the young witch in a positive light in hopes of improving how everyone treated her.

Nekonome had left them in Gin's hands once more, but the lecherous werewolf was sitting idly at her desk as per usual. Once Nekonome had left the room, Gin put his feet up and sipped a mug of coffee while reading one of the old newspapers from the previous year.

When he looked over at Kurumu, though, Tsukune was surprised; a look of anxiety had come over her, and she looked quite pale as she read her letter. Concerned, Tsukune spoke up.

"Is everything alright, Kurumu?" he asked.

Tsukune's voice caused Kurumu to jump with surprise, and she buried the letter and photos in the bottom of the toolbox momentarily.

"Oh, it's nothing," Kurumu said, putting on a false smile as she turned to face him. She did her best to mask the nervousness in her voice. "I just remembered there's something I have to do. See ya!"

"But we need to finish the paper tonight!"

Tsukune's reply was in vain, for Kurumu was already running down the hall to the front of the academy. Her mind flipped through a list of possible suspects, but the only one that made any sense was Gin, and he had been sitting at Nekonome's desk the whole time, not giving her so much as one lusty glance. Then there was the signature…did she know anyone named Nagare? With no idea what could be in store for her, Kurumu burst through the large oak doors and tore off toward the Monster Tree.

* * *

Yukari walked into the magic club meeting in much brighter spirits than she had for the past week. She took her seat and noticed that only one of the club leaders was present. It was a young woman sitting at the front of the room with her eyes closed, her long teal hair running over her shoulders.

"Good afternoon, Mimi-senpai!" she said. "Sorry I wasn't here yesterday, desu. I was—"

"At the newspaper club?" Mokushino Mimotomi replied, her eyes closed and her hands on her temples.

"Yes!" Yukari said, beaming. Even after a week, Mimi's ability to see into the past still amazed her. "I—"

"Met several nice people who treated you kindly," Mimi finished. "There was also a beautiful young girl and a handsome man with whom you are rather taken, if I'm reading your mind correctly," she added, opening her oddly-colored eyes. Her left eye was a soft crimson color while her right eye was a cold, piercing blue; both were gazing at the young witch with amusement.

Yukari blushed. "W-well…yes," she stammered, "but there's something even you don't know, senpai!"

"I'll bet I do, then," said a voice from behind Yukari. The last member of the club, Mokushino Kagenmishi, entered and closed his eyes as well, tapping into his abilities. "You…hmm…you're considering joining the newspaper club." He opened his own unnatural eyes, which shared the same colors as his sister's, but in reverse; his left was blue and his right was red.

Yukari threw her hands in the air in defeat. The two were fraternal twins, but their strengths complimented each other well; one could delve into the past while the other read the future. She smiled sheepishly at his accurate statement.

"Well, am I right?" Kagenmishi asked, smiling widely.

"Mishi-senpai, you already know the answer, desu," Yukari replied. "Why bother asking?"

Mishi lifted the witch's pointed hat off of her head and tousled her hair, putting the hat back on when he was finished. "You're about to ask if you can leave this club and join theirs, right?" he said smugly, catching her off guard. "Why do you plan to ask when you know what my answer will be? For the same reason that I asked: it's merely polite."

"I suppose, desu," Yukari said, still unnerved by Mishi's piercing prediction. "So, do you mind if I—"

"Of course not," Mishi interrupted. "I have no problem with you switching clubs if it will make you happy, Yukari." He then closed his eyes and focused once more. "And judging by what I'm reading in your future…it will."

Yukari jumped with joy and hugged Mishi, then left the room and headed for the newspaper club's meeting room. Mishi and Mimi looked at each other and smirked.

"Did you really see happiness in her future?" Mimi asked complacently.

"You know that all I see are possibilities," Mishi replied, "though a few of them did end in happiness."

"And the others?"

"Who can say?" Mishi shrugged and paced around the room. "On the bright side, we now have the club to ourselves." He glanced over at the corner of the room, where a cloaked boy with messy violet hair was muttering under his breath and staring at the wall. "Well, except for Saiku, but I don't think he counts at this point."

Mimi chuckled at the remark and gazed at the isolated student. She knew better than to try to break into his mind and tinker around; the boy was an illusionist, and every time she looked inside his head revealed a different image. No two were ever the same, and there was no guarantee that any of them had ever been correct.

Bored with her surroundings, Mimi stood and walked to the halls, reading the occasional passerby for amusement. Her brother sat down and began writing a letter, hoping he had made the right decision in sending Yukari to join the newspaper club.

_She's weak now, but she has great potential…only time will tell.

* * *

_

Kurumu finally arrived at the meeting place, a large tree known as the Monster Tree. It was a fairly accurate description; patches of rot running along the trunk had eaten away a pattern that looked eerily similar to a howling face, and spindly branches jutted out of the trunk like twisted, slender arms. At night, it gave the illusion that the tree was attempting to grasp anyone who came near it. Kurumu knew it was just a tree, but it still gave her chills.

"Ah, you're here. I'm glad my letter found you."

Kurumu yelped at the sudden breaking of silence, looking all around for the voice's source. She watched the tree warily, considering the possibility that it might have spoken to her. Kurumu listened closely; she could have sworn the tree was _wheezing._

"I've been waiting so long, Kurumu-chan."

Kurumu peered up into the branches of the Monster Tree and saw a student sitting on one of the thicker branches. His long hair obscured his face, but Kurumu noticed that he wore a harness that held a camera similar to the one Gin had.

"Who are you?!" Kurumu demanded, glaring at the boy. "How did you get those pictures of me?!" Suddenly, Kurumu realized that she left the pictures in the newspaper club's toolbox. Cursing under her breath, Kurumu stepped back when her blackmailer slid off of his branch and landed on the ground.

"Don't you remember me?" he asked. "I'm Kano Nagare. On the first day of school, you promised me a date if I took nice pictures of you."

Nagare was grinning in a way that made Kurumu very uncomfortable. The fact that he was breathing heavily didn't help either. _He's so sweaty and slimy!_ _I promised this guy a date?! _Kurumu couldn't believe what she was hearing; if she had done anything of the sort, she certainly couldn't recall it now.

"I've been waiting ever since," he said, panting. "It seems like it's been forever...but now, you're going to fulfill your promise, or I'll spread those pictures all over the school!"

* * *

Tsukune stared at the clock anxiously. Kurumu had been gone for nearly two hours now, and he was beginning to worry. During the time that had elapsed, the witch from the day before, Yukari, had come to the room to join the club, and the three of them had made quite a dent in the work that still needed to be done. Moka had finished her article while Yukari helped Tsukune make final adjustments to his, and they were now ready to begin drafting the final product.

"Hey Tsukune," Moka said as she drew an intricate design across the top of the paper, "how committed do you think Kurumu is to this club? I mean, she only joined because she's after you, right?"

Tsukune considered Moka's words. He wanted to protest what she was saying, but he couldn't think of a suitable reply.

"I don't think she considers us friends," Moka continued. "It would definitely explain why she had no problem leaving right when we needed her the most."

"That's not true!" Tsukune argued, though he himself was beginning to question Kurumu's motives. "You two have been getting along great lately! I'm sure she just had something urgent to attend to."

After another hour of working, Gin left his seat to examine their progress. He grinned when he saw the borders Moka had drawn around the articles; it would seem that in addition to being beautiful, she was also quite talented.

"That's good for today," he said, pacing around the trio. "We'll finish tomorrow and print right away. It's a bit hasty, but you've all gotten a lot done today."

Just then, the door to the classroom was flung open, and in stepped Kurumu. "I'm sorry I was gone so long!" she said, panting as she caught her breath. She braced herself for the inevitable shouting; she knew that everyone must be furious with her.

But the yelling never came. "Kurumu, you're back," Tsukune said calmly, "but you might as well head back to the dorms. We decided we'll just finish it up tomorrow."

Without another word, the rest of the club filed out of the room, leaving Kurumu standing alone. She walked over to the desk where newspaper's incomplete final draft lay and sat down, looking over the articles.

_I was too late,_ she thought. _They're the first real friends I've made here…I've got to apologize._

"What's wrong, Kurumu-chan?" a voice called from the doorway. Kurumu rounded on the spot to an unwelcome sight: Nagare had followed her. "Today was real fun, wasn't it?" he asked, wheezing and dripping with sweat. "Let's play again tomorrow, shall we?"

"Like hell we will!" she spat. "I only promised you one date! I don't owe you anything!"

"Aww, there's no reason to be so cold, Kurumu-chan," Nagare muttered darkly. "You wouldn't want your precious Tsukune to see all of those pictures we took today, would you?"

Kurumu turned pale; she had spent the entire afternoon posing in embarrassing outfits while Nagare took what had to be hundreds of pictures. It dawned on her that she was in deeper than she thought.

"You promised no one would see those!" she argued, knowing she was at his mercy.

"And they won't," Nagare replied, a vicious smirk forming on his lips, "but only if you come and play with me again tomorrow." Nagare leered at her as he spoke. "I'm never letting you go now."

"No!" Kurumu shouted defiantly. "Not tomorrow! Not _ever_!"

She ran out of the room and angrily slammed the door behind her. Nagare scowled and looked down at the desk where Kurumu had been sitting. His mood brightened considerably when he realized exactly what he was looking at.

"A newspaper?" he wondered aloud. "It's all laid out and everything…perfect!" A wicked gleam flashed across his eyes. _You'll come and play, Kurumu,_ he thought,_ whether you want to or not!

* * *

_

The next day was tortuous for Kurumu. Tsukune and Moka were clearly irritated with what she had done, but neither of them had said anything regarding the situation. She had looked to Kidoku for help, but he knew all too well that something had happened between the three of them, and he had no intentions of getting involved.

Finally, it was time for the newspaper club to meet again. Kurumu approached the meeting room with bated breath. _I'll apologize to everyone, we'll print the newspaper, and everything will be alright._ The thought was reassuring, but she wasn't sure how smoothly it would actually go.

When she arrived, though, she was met with disaster. Everyone else present was tearing apart the room frantically; even Gin was helping.

"What's going on?" Kurumu asked.

"Someone stole our layout from yesterday!" Moka replied.

"Not just that, desu," Yukari added. "Whoever it was wiped our computer files and took our backup disc as well!"

Kurumu looked around the room, noticing an odd sheen on some of the desks. She examined it closer and saw that it was sticky and slimy. She gasped as the realization hit her. _Nagare must have swiped everything to force me to do what he wants!_

"Damn it all!" Gin yelled, upturning the box of tools. "We don't have time to find whoever took it. We'll just have to start over!" Tsukune and Moka started to protest, but Gin cut them off. "I know it sucks, but we'll do whatever it takes. Cut the word count in the stories, enlarge the pictures, make the borders take up more space…I don't care how we do it, just get it done!" He slammed his fist down on the nearest desk to drive home his point.

"Um…guys?" Kurumu said timidly, "I know this is the worst possible time for this…but I can't stay to help today."

Moka gaped at her in disbelief. "What is wrong with you, Kurumu?!" she demanded harshly. "How can you bail on us now? Don't you care about _anyone_ but yourself?!"

Kurumu winced; she wanted to tell them all what had happened, but there was no telling what Nagare might do if she did. She turned away from Moka and walked to the door.

"I…I have to go."

"I'm disappointed in you," Moka said quietly. "I wanted to believe your change of heart was honest and sincere. Well, we don't need someone like you in this club!"

Fighting back tears, Kurumu silently left the classroom and headed for the Monster Tree, where she knew Nagare would be waiting.

* * *

Sure enough, Nagare was sitting in the branches of the Monster Tree, wheezing and oozing sweat as he looked through the newspaper layout. He smirked when he caught sight of Kurumu approaching him.

"I knew you'd come, Kurumu-chan," he said, chuckling under his breath. He produced the newspaper from his lap and waved it in the air. "Looking for this?" He flipped through it again, mocking her as he did. "It's such a dry, boring newspaper. The writing is clearly that of an amateur, and the artwork is pathetic."

Nagare removed a lighter from his pocket and lit it, holding the flame dangerously close to the newspaper. "The only thing it's good for is starting a fire. So what's it worth to you, Kurumu-chan? You'd better do exactly what I tell you to if you want—"

"Go ahead and burn it," Kurumu said defiantly.

Nagare stared at her, bewildered by her reaction to his taunting. Kurumu glared up at him resolutely, the corners of her eyes growing moist.

"Sure! Destroy something that matters to my friends!" Her voice was rising in intensity. "Go ahead and piss me off!"

Nagare quickly regained his composure. "Planning to defy me, are you?" he snarled. "Do you really think you can stand up to me?! I'm a monster too! I think it's time to play my trump card."

Nagare's skin melted and took on the consistency of sludge as his body transformed into ooze. A pair of long tubes protruded from his neck and began releasing a sinister-looking gas.

Without warning, Nagare launched himself from his perch and grasped at Kurumu's chest with a slimy arm, slamming her against the nearby storage shack in the process. Kurumu felt something sapping away her strength, and she found it hard to stand up to Nagare's advances.

"What happened to that fiery spirit?" Nagare cackled. "You're so docile, like a beautiful doll!"

Kurumu couldn't comprehend what was weakening her. Through the haze that had gathered before her, Kurumu could see that Nagare was still emitting that strange gas. _It must be poison gas!_ Kurumu thought. _If I don't get away from it, I'll be completely paralyzed!

* * *

_

Back in room 103, Tsukune and Moka were working tirelessly to rewrite their old articles while Gin and Yukari prepared a new layout. They had been making great progress given the circumstances, but something was bothering Tsukune in the back of his mind. It started out as a small itch, but the feeling grew with every passing minute, and finally Tsukune couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm going to go look for Kurumu," he announced, standing up.

"You can't leave, Tsukune!" Moka cried. "If you go too, we won't be able to make our deadline!"

"But—"

"Please!" she pleaded desperately. "If you won't do it for the club, do it for me!"

Tsukune gritted his teeth and walked away. Moka was taken aback; she had overestimated how much Tsukune had cared for her, it would seem. As he made his way to the door, Gin stood up as well.

"I guess you're not so committed to this club after all," he remarked scathingly.

"You're wrong, senpai," Tsukune replied, not stopping. "I _am_ committed to this club…and I don't think that the newspaper will be truly complete if one of us isn't here."

A loud gasp from Yukari caught everyone's attention. "This is heinous, desu!" she cried. "Look what I found in the toolbox!" In her hand was Nagare's letter and pictures.

After reading through it, Moka and Tsukune looked at each other, and without a word both of them got up and left room 103, intent on aiding Kurumu. Yukari moved to accompany them, but she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Not so fast, Yukari-chan," he said firmly. "We need someone to stay behind and work on this layout."

Yukari groaned. Resigning herself to her fate, she returned to her desk and continued working on Tsukune's article. When he was sure Yukari's attention was diverted, Gin scooped up the pictures of Kurumu and slipped them into his pocket.

* * *

"You can't escape me, Kurumu-chan!" Nagare called out menacingly.

Kurumu had locked herself in the storage shack, but she knew that she had only bought herself a little time; she would have to fight back. She attempted to transform, but her body's reaction was slowed by Nagare's poison, and only her talons came out at first.

"Hiding in the storage shed?" her pursuer crowed. "Just like in the movies! How cute! It's like you _want_ to be caught!" The last statement was punctuated by one eye on a long stalk peeking up at Kurumu from under the door. The rest of Nagare's body slowly followed, oozing along steadily.

"What's happening to you?!" Kurumu screamed with fright.

"A slug can slip through the narrowest cracks!" he exclaimed gleefully. "You've got nowhere left to run, Kurumu-chan." A thin, slimy tentacle danced through the air and hovered threateningly in front of Kurumu's face. "We're going to take lots of sexy pictures today!"

"Kurumu? Kurumu, are you in there?"

A loud banging at the door interrupted Nagare. Moka and Tsukune were on the other side, pounding on the metal frantically.

"We found the blackmail letter!" Kurumu recognized Moka's voice. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions! I thought you still hated me…that you were only in the club to get closer to Tsukune…but I was wrong!" Kurumu's eyes widened. "We need you, Kurumu!"

From outside the shack, a clicking noise could be heard. Tsukune and Moka stepped away from the door, their faces full of hope as the doorknob turned. The metal door creaked open slowly.

"Kurumu…?"

Standing in the doorway was Nagare in all of his hideous glory. His viscous form allowed him to extend his body until he towered over them. A freakish grin split the region slightly below his eye-stalks, where his mouth was presumably located.

"It must be my lucky day!" he declared joyfully. "Another beautiful girl has come my way!"

The tubes on the sides of Nagare's neck swelled and released large clouds of poison toward Tsukune and Moka. They covered their mouths and tried to get away, but to no avail; the gas had already seeped into their lungs, and their bodies were growing weaker and weaker.

"You're going to be delicious!" Nagare squirmed along the ground in Moka's direction, slime and drool dripping from his body.

"Moka!" Kurumu cried. All of her anger welled up inside of her, and Kurumu was suddenly hit by a splitting pain to the head; it felt as though someone were pounding on a sturdy door with a battering ram.

Nagare stopped his advance and noticed that the ground had begun to shake. He looked around fearfully; did the academy have earthquakes?

Leaning against the frame of the door, Kurumu forced herself to her feet. Another impact rocked her skull internally, and it was all she could do to remain standing. The barrier in her mind was about to give way. Her rage was clouding her vision, and the whole world seemed to be throbbing.

"Stop…" she said weakly. "Get away…from them…"

One final blow was struck, and the floodgates in her head burst open. Kurumu felt a power coursing through her that she had never experienced before. Her eyes were glowing, and her wings and tail were freed.

**"****Don't you dare lay a hand on my friends!"**

The ground around Nagare was ripped to pieces as legions of vines and roots lashed out at the slug monster, binding him in place.

"What the hell is this?!" he cried fearfully. "Is this a dream?!"

Tsukune and Moka watched in awe and wonder as the roots struck and tore at his gelatinous body. Kurumu flexed her wings and extended her talons.

_C'mon, body, move! MOVE!_

Kurumu blasted off at top speed, aiming for Nagare. Releasing every ounce of fury in her body, Kurumu slashed at his midsection viciously with her claws, wounding him grievously in one go. As he fell to the ground unconscious, the tree roots receded back into the ground, and only the demolished landscape revealed that anything had happened. Moka and Tsukune were left completely clueless as to what had occurred, but Moka's inner side spoke to her through her rosary.

_The tree roots were merely an illusion, born of Kurumu's magic. It's a powerful succubus technique that can be fatal in the hands of someone powerful enough. However, just like most of their abilities, it relies on the user's emotion. Kurumu must have experienced very strong emotions today._

Kurumu held the rescued newspaper layout triumphantly in the air. It was soiled and covered in Nagare's slime, but she cradled it close to her chest like a newborn infant. Tsukune and Moka sighed with relief, lying prone on the ground as they waited for the poison to wear off.

"I…I got it back…" Kurumu's voice was a hoarse croak; standing up to Nagare had taxed her strength. "I got back what matters…"

…_What matters most to me.

* * *

_

**Author's Note:** Whew, I hope that didn't seem too rushed. I'm back at college now, so I'm going to try to update once a week, but I can't guarantee that will happen. Thank you to everyone who continues to read and review this story; it's very encouraging, and it keeps me going. Regardless of what may happen to delay any future updates, I _will_ continue this story.


	8. Chapter 8: Shattered

**Author's note: **Well, I think I did alright with meeting my self-imposed deadline. It's been about a week...eh, whatever, I'm just glad people are still reading this. Amusingly enough, while this chapter and the last chapter had literally the same word count, they ended up being quite different after editing on this site...oh well. I blame my tendency to ramble in these notes.

This chapter should answer any questions you may have concerning how I'm going to handle pairings in this fic...then again, it may raise more questions, so I don't really know. *shrugs*

As always, I do not own R+V in any way.

* * *

"…And then, right when he was about to tackle Moka, a bunch of vines burst out of the ground and pinned him!" Tsukune's recount of the fight with Nagare was given extra intensity by the excitement in his tone as he related the tale. "Then Kurumu-chan took him out and got the newspaper layout back."

Kidoku leaned back in his chair, surprised at what Tsukune had told him. He had paid him a visit in his room to see what was new, since the two never really had any time to hang out together without dealing with the rivalry between Moka and Kurumu. Kidoku had expected relatively plain conversation, perhaps the exchange of stories about their respective clubs, but what he was given instead blew him away.

_So, she's already gained control over the ability to create illusions…_ Kidoku experienced a mixture of emotions at this news. On the one hand, he was amazed at Kurumu's fast development; despite her young age, she had reached the highest level of succubus ability. All that was left for her to do was master the abilities she already possessed, and she would truly be a force to be reckoned with.

On the other hand, Kidoku felt pangs of jealousy at her breakthrough, and it gnawed away slowly at his confidence in himself. He and Kurumu had grown up together and, aside from his brief time spent in the human world, they had been nearly inseparable, yet somehow she had sped past him by an incredible margin. He wondered if the time away from home had stunted his growth, as he had yet to master the basic Allure charm, but he doubted that was the cause. Regardless of the reason for it, Kurumu's growth had only exacerbated Kidoku's irritation with himself.

And then there was a third feeling that Kidoku couldn't quite explain. Succubi and incubi were beings of emotion, and the premature release of latent abilities was generally caused by intense emotions running rampant through the subject's head. Kurumu had been set off by the sight of Tsukune and Moka in danger, and that could only mean one thing: despite her typical airhead behavior, Kurumu's feelings were genuine.

Kidoku thought back to his stay in the hospital. Kurumu had declared to him that she had chosen Tsukune as her mate of fate, and Kidoku hadn't quite taken her seriously at the time. After all, how could he? The two had just met, and Kurumu had no way of knowing if there was even the slightest chance that her feelings might be reciprocated, yet she was flinging herself at him with reckless abandon. To him, it sounded more like puppy love than anything. But now she had shown her true colors, and Kidoku was feeling something towards Tsukune…perhaps animosity? No, that wasn't it. He felt the same protective emotion one might feel when a sibling brings home their significant other for the first time. He glanced over at Tsukune, who was sitting upright in his bed, and decided to test the waters.

"Tsukune, what do you think of Kurumu?" Kidoku asked nonchalantly.

Tsukune cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean, Kidoku?"

"Well," Kidoku began, choosing his words carefully, "how do you see her? Y'know, like from a relationship standpoint."

The question caught Tsukune by surprise. "Well, Kurumu-chan is my friend," he replied. "She can be a bit aggressive at times, but I'm glad to have met her."

Kidoku was silent for a moment as he formulated a response that would convey his meaning directly without being too blunt. Tsukune likely had no idea how deep Kurumu's feelings ran, and if he wanted to avoid Kurumu getting hurt, Kidoku would have to enlighten him.

"Tsukune…do you understand how Kurumu feels about you? I mean _really _understand. Do you think she just has a schoolgirl crush on you?"

Tsukune eyed Kidoku with apprehension. He didn't know where this conversation was going, but Kidoku's tone had grown considerably more serious.

"I don't really know what to think," Tsukune admitted. "I mean, she called me her 'destined one' or whatever it is, but every morning she tackles me and gets into petty arguments with Moka." He fell back on his bed and propped himself up on his elbow. "It's hard to tell how serious she is."

"Tsukune, what Kurumu did the other day is extremely advanced succubus magic. Normally, she wouldn't have gained control of it for another couple of years at the least. To be capable of something like that requires a certain level of emotional strain."

Kidoku paused to let it sink in, hoping Tsukune might draw the conclusion on his own. "What I'm trying to say is that Kurumu couldn't have done what she did if she didn't feel strongly about you. I know she can be difficult to put up with at times, but when she tells you she cares, she's not lying."

Tsukune let his elbow go limp so that he was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. When Kidoku pointed it out to him, it seemed so obvious. True, Moka and Kurumu frequently squabbled over Tsukune…but what if it was because both had genuine feelings? What if, instead of competing over him as though he were a silly prize, both of them were giving their all to capture his heart because, deep down, they really _did_ love him?

To complicate matters, Tsukune had given no consideration to his own feelings. As he thought about it, he realized that he couldn't honestly say that he had a romantic attraction to either girl. They were both stunningly beautiful, and each had several appealing personality traits, but for reasons he couldn't explain, Tsukune could only imagine them as friends…at least for now.

Kidoku stood up and excused himself. "I didn't mean to upset you if I have," he said, concerned by Tsukune's silence, "but I thought you should understand the gravity of the situation."

"Kidoku," Tsukune said while staring at the ceiling, "what if I want to be friends with Moka and Kurumu, and nothing more? What then?"

Kidoku paused with his hand on the doorknob. He didn't want to put Kurumu's position in jeopardy, but how could he give false advice to Tsukune? "That's your choice to make," he replied slowly, "but whatever you decide, make sure you can live with what comes after."

Without another word, Kidoku exited the room, leaving Tsukune alone with his thoughts. Tsukune tossed and turned restlessly well into the night before finally falling asleep.

* * *

Kurumu stared out of her window at the ground below, focusing intently on one patch of dirt. For the umpteenth time she attempted to summon another tangle of illusory vines, but as with all of her other attempts, her efforts were rewarded with a trio of pitifully thin roots creeping slowly out of the ground and nothing more. She was growing more and more frustrated with each failed attempt; none of her illusions could compare to the show she had put on the day before.

A gentle knock at the door broke Kurumu's concentration, and the vines she had called forth dissipated and faded away. Kurumu sighed and walked to the door, wondering who it could be this late at night. _Maybe it's Tsukune!_ Her hopes high, Kurumu opened the door smiling widely.

To her disappointment, Kurumu found Moka, not Tsukune, standing at her door. Her smile drooped and her previous excitement vanished.

"Oh, it's you," she said dully to Moka. "What's up?"

"I wanted to thank you for what you did today," Moka replied, "and I wanted to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. I was under the impression that I was nothing but an obstacle to you, and that you only joined the newspaper club to get closer to Tsukune." Moka looked Kurumu directly in the eyes to emphasize her sincerity. "I'm sorry, Kurumu. Can you forgive me?"

"I don't know why you're apologizing," Kurumu scoffed. "I _do_ see you as an obstacle, and I _did_ join the newspaper club to get closer to Tsukune."

If not for the explanation offered by her inner self the day before, Moka would have stormed off at that remark. She knew better, though, and while Kurumu might be telling the truth, she was only telling part of it. Moka took a step forward and smiled sweetly.

"That's to be expected, Kurumu," she said. "I see _you_ as an obstacle as well, and I'd be lying if I said I joined the newspaper club for any reason other than because it's the club Tsukune wanted to join." Taking another step forward, she embraced Kurumu gently. "But just because we're rivals doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Yes it does!" Kurumu exclaimed, trying to extricate herself from Moka's grip. "That's the _best_ reason for us not to be friends!"

Moka released Kurumu and stepped back to give her some space. "You and I both know you don't mean that, Kurumu," she said playfully.

"Of course I do!" Kurumu snarled indignantly. "Today changed nothing between us! Nothing!"

"If you say so, Kurumu," Moka said with a smile, her words piercing Kurumu's lie. Before the irate succubus could say anything else, though, Moka left and closed the door behind her.

Kurumu flopped onto her bed and groaned irritably. In years past, Kurumu had only befriended men, if it could even be called that; because she took full advantage of her succubus charm, most girls turned up their noses at her. Now she was friends with Tsukune, the first guy besides Kidoku who wasn't constantly lusting after her…but to her pleasant surprise, she had found a friend in Moka, the first girl who didn't hate her with a passion.

That night, Kurumu drifted off to sleep clutching a stuffed bear close to her chest and smiling peacefully.

* * *

The next day, Tsukune and his friends were joined at lunch by Yukari, who sat next to Moka. No one was bothered by her presence, but her choice of seating had one unexpected side-effect.

"Why doesn't anyone sit next to me?" lamented Kidoku as he suspiciously poked the misshapen lump that constituted today's lunch.

"Because Tsukune's over here, of course!" Kurumu replied, taking Tsukune's right arm. Not to be outdone, Moka latched onto his left arm. The two girls glared daggers at each other, neither willing to relinquish their grip.

To everyone's surprise, however, Yukari attached herself to Moka's arm as well. "I want to be close to Moka-san, desu!" she exclaimed.

"Who's this adorable little witch?" Kidoku asked sweetly, his previous worries forgotten. "She's so cute! Is she your little sister, Moka-chan?"

_BAM!_

A large brass pot appeared out of thin air and dropped onto Kidoku's head with a loud clang. He yelped in pain and rubbed his head tenderly.

"I'm a student here too, desu!" Yukari exclaimed indignantly.

"Yukari, that was unnecessary," Moka scolded. "Kidoku-san, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Kidoku replied once his ears stopped ringing. "She just caught me off my guard. Now that I'm expecting it, I can—ouch!" Kidoku was stopped mid-sentence by another brass pot. Contrary to his words, Kidoku was not ready for this one, either. He grabbed one of his books from beneath his seat and held it over his head to shield himself.

"Yukari!" Moka said firmly. Yukari's mad giggling ceased, as did the steady rain of brass pots. Kidoku offered a weak smile as gratitude to Moka.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Moka," Kurumu said offhandedly. "Kidoku's used to getting beaten down by little kids, aren't you Kido?" She grinned wickedly and waited for his response to her teasing.

"Yeah, I suppose so," he replied plainly.

Kurumu's sails deflated; Kidoku wasn't playing along with her jokes, for whatever reason. She didn't have long to think about it before Yukari pounced on her.

"Who are you calling a little kid, desu?!" she demanded.

"Well, you're the only child I see here," Kurumu responded with fake innocence, deciding Yukari would be her new target.

"I'm not that much younger than you," Yukari pointed out, "and I'm much more mature."

"Tch. Not with those mosquito bites, you aren't," Kurumu muttered just loud enough for the young witch to overhear.

"I'm still growing, desu!" Yukari retorted. "Besides, yours are _too_ big! They're big, gross blobs of fat, desu!"

"That shows just how little you really know, pipsqueak. Tsukune likes them like this, don't you, Tsukune-kun?"

Kurumu tried to press Tsukune's face into her breasts yet again, but this time Tsukune resisted. Surprised, Kurumu let go of his head and looked at him curiously.

"What's the matter, Tsukune?" she asked in mock disappointment. "Are you worried about making the other girls feel inadequate? That's so sweet of you."

"Kurumu-chan, please stop."

The table fell silent at Tsukune's words. Kurumu was left gaping, while Moka looked cautiously hopeful. Seeing that he had everyone's attention, Tsukune continued.

"Kurumu-chan, I like you. I really do." Moka's heart sank and a gloom fell over her. "But I want to be your friend, nothing more than that." Now it was Kurumu's turn to slip into despair.

"Every time I see you, you're way too forward about your feelings toward me, and you start arguments with Moka," Tsukune said, trying to say what he had to say without hurting anyone's feelings. "I can't stand it when the two of you argue. I don't want to date _either_ of you." He stood up and looked at both of them in turn, making sure they both knew he wasn't spurning one in favor of the other. "It's hard enough surviving in this school without worrying about what you two might do to each other. Maybe someday I'll change my mind, but right now I just want to be your friend."

Tsukune glanced around the table to gauge their reactions. Moka and Kurumu were completely speechless, while Yukari seemed to be attempting to analyze this new situation. Kidoku's eyes met his own, and Kidoku nodded in unspoken approval.

The awkward silence grew longer until Tsukune backed away from the table and gathered his books for their next class. He walked ahead of the rest of the group, no longer feeling anywhere near as confident as he had during his outburst. He hoped his words hadn't been too harsh.

* * *

Mizore found herself in Kotsubo's office after school yet again. This was her sixth time that week including lunch breaks, and she could think of nowhere else she'd rather be. It was all she could think about during her classes all day long, to the point where the classes after lunch seemed to drag on forever. When gym period finally arrived, the promise of another afternoon spent in deep conversation with Kotsubo was just enough to pull her through the last period of the day and propel her on to sweet freedom.

She had become more open to the handsome young gym teacher, though Mizore still retained her characteristic shyness at the beginning of each rendezvous. However, after half an hour, an entirely different Mizore had replaced her, one who was comfortable with her surroundings and her company, one who trusted Kotsubo with the times of pain and joy of her life. She had divulged much of her childhood to her newfound friend, especially her times of crushing depression and loneliness

His reception had been beyond warm; Mizore started out sitting closer to him each day, eagerly waiting for the moment when he would put his strong arms around her and make her fears melt away. Even during her lunchtime visits she would sidle up next to him, and he would whisper reassurance and kind words into her ear. His hot breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine.

"So what about after that?" Kotsubo asked. "Was there anything? Any_one_?"

Mizore shook her head. "He was the last one…at least, until recently."

She had told him the story of the human boy who had wandered close to the edge of her village while she was out admiring the flowers. The two had cultivated their friendship in secret, until the day that Mizore revealed that she was a snow woman. Instead of accepting her, the boy ran away screaming, believing that Mizore was going to eat him. The story still carried great emotional pay to this day, but she knew Kotsubo would comfort her.

The gym teacher did not disappoint. "What do you mean, 'until recently?'" he asked as he stood behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, resting his chin gently on her shoulder.

Mizore blushed at the sudden contact, but she was rejoicing inwardly at the feeling of Kotsubo against her body. She nervously shifted the lollipop in her mouth to the left and then the right, hesitant to say what was on her mind. A soft, reassuring squeeze from Kotsubo was all that it took to get her to confess.

"I…I was talking about you, sensei. …I love you." There, she had said it. Her pale cheeks were tinged a rosy red as she waited for his response.

Kotsubo was still for a moment, then whispered into Mizore's ear, "Come by my office after school tomorrow. I'll have a special surprise waiting for you."

After getting yet another late pass to the sculpture club from Kotsubo, Mizore finally left his office, her heart fluttering as she tried to imagine what the surprise could be.

* * *

Kidoku emerged from the boys' locker room feeling worn out physically and mentally. His thoughts were running wild, from sadness at the loss of Mizore's friendship to fear concerning the ramifications of Tsukune's declaration earlier that day…and none of it was helped by the defeatist mentality he had slowly been developing since he learned that Kurumu had taken yet another step ahead of him. Kidoku's lack of focus resulted in an abysmal performance during the karate club's training session, and now the only thing he could think of was his bed at the dorms.

"Kido-san!" A familiar voice dragged his mind back to reality. Kidoku wearily turned to see Kurumu running toward him. He sighed and attempted to make himself look more alert than he was.

"What is it, Kurumu-chan?" he asked. His voice betrayed his inner fatigue, but Kurumu was so engrossed in whatever she wanted to talk about that she didn't seem to notice.

"Well, it's Tsukune," she said, not wanting to admit she had come to him for help. "You heard what he said today. What do you think I should do?"

"Is that what this is about?" Kidoku groaned. He didn't like the idea of being in the middle of any of this, even if there wasn't actually anything going on. "I did hear what he said today, and I was hoping maybe you did too, Kurumu. You should respect Tsukune's feelings."

"But I don't know what else to do!" Kurumu pleaded desperately. "I've been giving him everything I've got, and none of it is working. I don't want to lose him!" The look of pain in her eyes as she spoke told Kidoku that Kurumu's feelings were sincere.

Kidoku grabbed Kurumu's shoulders and looked her directly in the eye. "You're wrong," he said flatly, "you haven't being giving him everything you've got. You haven't been giving Tsukune _anything_. All of this…" Kidoku searched for the right word. "…this…_bullshit._ That's what it is, Kurumu. All of this crap you've been doing lately…that's not you. I know that for a fact, so don't even try to deny it. Just because you're a succubus doesn't mean you have to do everything the succubus way. You're not some flashy, gaudy, slutty ditz."

Kurumu started to protest, but Kidoku silenced her. "No. You're gentle, sweet, and almost motherly. You're still a bit of a ditz, but it's actually quite endearing at times." Kidoku released his grip on Kurumu's shoulders and let his hands fall to his sides. "Let Tsukune see the real Kurumu. Maybe he'll return your feelings, maybe he won't, but that's life. I'll be there for you no matter what happens."

Kurumu blinked; she was surprised by Kidoku's words, and a little touched. "What brought this on, Kido-san?" she asked, processing everything he had said.

Kidoku grinned. "You're my big sis, right? You've always looked out for me…well, someone has to look out for you too."

"Thank you, Kido," Kurumu replied softly. Remembering something, she reached into her bag and produced a crisp newspaper that looked like it was hot off the press.

"It's our first edition," she told Kidoku proudly. "Nagare's slime wrecked the first layout, so we had to redo the whole thing last night and this afternoon. We're going to pass them out tomorrow after class, but I wanted to make sure you got a copy."

Kidoku accepted the newspaper and looked over the front page, which was adorned with wispy vines and cute bats along the borders; he recognized it as Moka's work, based on the doodles he had seen her draw during class. The main article was credited to Tsukune and Kurumu, and the pictures that accompanied it were of a handsome roguish student with dark hair and a red headband.

"Thanks, Kurumu-chan," Kidoku said absentmindedly as he flipped through it, making a mental note to go back and read Moka's story on Yukari. "Oh, and since I haven't gotten a chance to say it yet, congrats on your…um…y'know."

"The illusions?" Kurumu suggested, completing his thought. "I suppose Tsukune told you, then." Kidoku nodded. "Is that why you've been so quiet today?"

"I suppose that's part of it," Kidoku admitted, "but that's not all of it."

"It's your friend, isn't it?" Kurumu said knowingly.

"Wow, I'm surprised you're not teasing me about her," Kidoku said dryly. "I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does."

"Kido…" Kidoku looked up dejectedly at Kurumu, but all he could see was her hand, and she quickly flicked his nose.

"Ow!" he cried, covering his nose with his hands. "What was that for?!"

Kurumu smiled and patted his head. "You might be growing up, but you're still the little brother here," she told him. "Man up and talk to her. If she doesn't want to be your friend after hearing your side of the story, maybe she wasn't worth it in the first place."

"Thanks, but did you have to flick my nose?"

"Oh, shut it. You know you like it."

Kidoku grinned. _Yeah…I do. I'm lucky to have you to support me, Kurumu-chan. Tomorrow, I'm gonna talk to Mizore, and I'll make things work between us.

* * *

_

Tsukune headed down to the newspaper club's meeting room after class on Friday with a spring in his step. Today they would be handing out the first edition of their newspaper, and the featured article was something he had helped to write. He, an average student in an academy for monsters, had written a front-page article!

What really made him happy, though, was that he and his friends had worked together to produce the newspaper. Tsukune knew that as long as the club stayed together, he could handle Yokai Academy.

"Tsukune?" Kurumu's voice came from the doorway.

Tsukune looked up to see her looking at him with a sad, longing expression on her face. She had surprised him that morning. Instead of tackling him with her usual raunchy greeting, the succubus had quietly said hello and taken her place at his side. She still clung to his arm, but Tsukune had noticed her grip was much lighter; normally it felt constricting, as though she was worried he might try to run away…but today it was just pleasant contact.

"Hello, Kurumu-chan," Tsukune said cheerfully. "Are you ready to hand out the newspapers?"

"Almost," she said, "but there's something I want to tell you, Tsukune."

"What is it?"

Kurumu crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Tsukune, pulling him into a gentle hug. She nuzzled his chest softly, not saying anything for a few moments.

Finally, she broke the silence. "I love you, Tsukune," she whispered into his neck, "and I know that you…you don't love me." Tsukune felt something wet fall onto his exposed neck, and he realized Kurumu was sobbing quietly. "…But that's okay. I'm not going to give up on you. I'll always be your friend, and maybe someday…maybe I'll be something more. But I will always be by your side."

Tsukune returned the hug, patting Kurumu gently on the back. "Thank you, Kurumu-chan. I'm truly blessed to have a friend like you."

The two broke their embrace and Kurumu wiped away her tears, then smiled at Tsukune and grabbed a stack of newspapers. "We can't keep Moka and Yukari waiting, now, can we?"

Tsukune returned her warm smile and picked up a stack of his own. The two of them walked out to the front of the school together, grinning and laughing about the story they had worked together to make and everything that had happened since they had met.

Kurumu felt at peace internally, and she was enjoying their friendly conversation. _Even if Tsukune's feelings never change…as long as I have this, I know I'll be happy.

* * *

_

Kidoku anxiously watched the clock tick away the minutes after gym was over. If he waited too long for Mizore to come out, he'd be late to the karate club meeting, but he doubted he would get another chance to talk to her until Monday if he missed her today. He fidgeted nervously and hummed an old nursery rhyme to pass the time faster.

Unfortunately for Kidoku, Mizore was once again in Kotsubo's office. Upon entering, Mizore smelled a pleasant aroma. A quick glance around the room revealed that Kotsubo had lit a few scented candles, and he himself was wearing a thick layer of cologne.

"Welcome, Mizore-chan," he said sweetly. "I've been waiting for you."

Kotsubo pressed Mizore roughly against the wall and began kissing her neck. His hands roamed across her body, exploring her feminine shape ravenously.

"S-sensei, what are you doing?!" she gasped, completely taken by surprise. Kotsubo's heavy cologne was permeating the air around her, and she felt herself growing light-headed.

"You said that you love me, Mizore-chan," he said in between kisses, "and this is how adults show each other love." His left hand dropped down to her leg and slowly began running up her inner thigh, brushing past the odd belt Mizore always wore on her leg.

"Sensei, I don't want this!" Mizore protested, trying to push him away.

Kotsubo pinned her against the wall more forcefully. "You told me you love me," he snarled, "and you should be happy regardless of what I do to you!"

Mizore wanted to scream, but no sound would come out. She had let her guard down again, and she was living her worst nightmare. As Kotsubo's hand slid under her skirt, she knew exactly what he was going to do. She had to do something now, she had to—

"NO!" she yelled, her hands forming into claws of ice as she reverted to her true form. A bitter cold descended upon the room, and frostbitten winds kicked up around Mizore, forcing Kotsubo away.

Mizore let out a chilling howl of anguish, and she unleashed her full strength on Kotsubo, freezing him in a massive block of ice. The winds died down and Mizore returned to human form as she realized what she had done. The lollipop in her mouth fell to the ground and shattered on impact, and Mizore took a few frightened steps back before turning and running out of Kotsubo's office as fast as she could.

Back out in the hallway, Kidoku was nearly knocked over by a wild-eyed Mizore as she sprinted out of the gym toward the front of the school.

"Mizore, wait for m—whoa!" Kidoku attempted to follow her, but he slipped and fell on his face. He looked at the floor to see that it was covered in thin sheet of frost that trailed after Mizore. Kidoku didn't know what had happened, but he knew something was wrong.

By the time he made it to the girls' dorm, however, Mizore had already locked herself in her room and sealed the door with a thick layer of ice. Kidoku banged on her door repeatedly, but to no avail.

"Mizore, let me in!" he yelled, throwing his shoulder against the door.

"Go away!" Mizore screamed back from the other side of her barrier. She sat on the floor in the middle of the room and curled up into a ball, letting frozen tears fall from her eyes. After a few more minutes, the assault on her door stopped. Mizore was grateful for the silence, until she heard a faint sound coming from outside.

_It sounds like the flapping of wings…but who—_

Mizore's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shattering glass followed by a howl of pain. She looked over at her shoulder at the window and saw Kidoku's forearm reaching through it, trying to undo the lock and open the window. His arm was covered in blood and riddled with shards of glass, and although he tried to hide it, he was clearly in pain. After fumbling with the latch for a bit his efforts were rewarded, and Kidoku flew in through the open window.

"Why are you here?" Mizore demanded quietly, not looking at him.

"I came to apologize," Kidoku replied. "It's true that I wanted to be your friend because I felt sorry for you—" Mizore felt a growing urge to freeze Kidoku as well, "—but I never pitied you." The violent desire fell to the wayside and Mizore listened intently to what Kidoku had to say, still facing away from him. "I know what it's like to be alone," he continued, "because that's how things used to be for me…but then I made an amazing friend, and my life has been much happier since then."

Kidoku walked over to Mizore and sat down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I wanted to share that joy with you."

He offered her a sincere smile, but it vanished when she looked up at him with her eyes full of sadness and betrayal. Kidoku stared into the icy blue depths; somewhere in the unmoving azure surface, something had been disturbed.

"Mizore…what happened to you?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Mizore tensed up. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm your friend, and friends comfort each other."

Mizore turned away from him, doing her best to ignore him. After a few moments, she heard sounds of buttons being undone. She pivoted back around and looked at Kidoku fearfully.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

Kidoku had removed his blazer and wrapped it around his arm. He gritted his teeth as he felt the glass shards dig deeper into his skin, but he knew that he could deal with his own pain later.

"I don't want to get blood on you, silly," he replied plainly.

Mizore's pulse spiked as Kidoku approached her and reached out. Panicking, her hands shifted into ice claws…but to her amazement, Kidoku pulled her in close and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Shhh…" he whispered to her. "Let it all out."

"What makes you think you can—"

"You don't have to tell me what happened," he said, rubbing her back rhythmically to soothe her, "just let it all out."

"You…I…" Mizore mumbled incoherently, "it just…oh, why?!" Mizore collapsed and broke down into tears. She bawled her eyes out, not moving her head once from Kidoku's shoulder.

"Shhh…it'll be alright," Kidoku crooned softly. "Everything will be okay…I promise…"

The two of them stayed like that for half an hour as Mizore let every bit of sadness out of her system. Kidoku's teeth began to chatter from the cold temperature of the room; it didn't help that he had removed his blazer. Finally, Mizore let go of Kidoku and stood up.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely. "I needed that."

Kidoku stood up as well and wiped away a tear that was rolling down her cheek. "That's what friends are for, Mizore-chan."

Mizore cringed; the situation reminded her too much of how the disaster with Kotsubo had started. She turned away from Kidoku and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I think I'm going to take a break from classes," she said, her eyes directed at the floor.

Kidoku nodded. "I understand." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his copy of the school newspaper, which had become somewhat wrinkled and crumpled while in his possession. He set it in Mizore's lap.

"My friends made this," he told her. "I want you to have it."

Mizore remained silent, neither accepting nor declining the gift. Not knowing what else to do, Kidoku walked back to the window and let his wings emerge from his back once more.

"…When you're feeling better, I'd like you to meet them," he said quietly to her. "I'm sure they'd all love you." Kidoku clambered out the window and flew to the boys' dorm.

Mizore let tendrils of ice spread slowly across the room as she lay back in her bed. She looked at the newspaper Kidoku had given her and read the title of the main article aloud.

"_Lecherous Editor Caught Peeping_," she muttered. "Article and pictures by Aono Tsukune and Kurono Kurumu." Deciding she had nothing better to do, Mizore began to flip through the pages, doing her best to shut Kotsubo out of her mind.

* * *

Despite being two days late, the newspaper club's first edition saw wild success. They were running out of copies so fast that Tsukune had to go back to the meeting room more than once to get more stacks.

"Wow, everyone loves our first print!" Moka exclaimed gleefully.

"It's not as good as last year's edition," Gin remarked from his chair behind their stand, "but it's still a pretty good start."

Just as they were beginning to celebrate, however, the crowd that had gathered around them parted, and a group of stern-looking students clad in black approached them. None of the club members knew what was going on except for Gin, who looked visibly worried.

The crowd around them began to mutter darkly about the intimidating students, but they paid the crowd no mind. One of them stepped forward; he was pale with long blond hair, and his hardened expression suggested that he had seen more than his fair share of violence.

"Greetings. I am the leader of the school's protection committee. My name is Kuyo." He shot a quick glance at Gin. "I believe we've met before, haven't we? As such, you should know that you must submit a request to us in order to distribute your newspapers."

Gin scowled but said nothing. A feral smile crept across Kuyo's face. "You have broken several important school rules, and that makes you…a menace to the peace!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Whew, so there you have it. Hopefully I didn't botch the scene with Mizore and Kotsubo too badly...anyway, for those of you who are curious, the next chapter will be the one where things start deviating for the manga's plot. I'm starting to get used to my schedule at college this semester, and I think it's safe to assume that once a week is probably as good as it's gonna get in terms of how often I can update. I'd like to thank everyone who continues to read this fic, and especially The Gandhara, who reviewed chapter seven. You guys are my motivation to keep going. Until next time!

~Grandliucharde


	9. Chapter 9: Preparations

**Author's Note: **First of all, I'd like to thank Stigma for reviewing this. In my original draft for this chapter, I did something that I believed was innocent but, when it was pointed out to me, I realized was overstepping my bounds tremendously. The scenes in the basement and the cafeteria have been edited heavily to exclude this blunder.

Wow...so, it turns out that I have a lot more work at school than I thought I would. Anyway, I'll try to do a better job of updating this consistently in the future. I wasn't very motivated to write this chapter, and I think the reason why is because it doesn't have a lot of action or a real climax like the others...it's just setting stuff up for the next chapter. I was torn between cutting this into two smaller chapters or posting it as a big one, but I didn't want to waste two updates on this. I had to cut some stuff out, but I'm happy with the way it turned out overall.

As a side note, for this chapter I decided to stop using 'desu' for Yukari. I had difficulty in the past two chapters choosing where to use it, and I think it serves as a distraction for this since it's written in English. If you think I should keep it this way or go back to the old way, send me a PM with your opinion. I might go back and edit the old chapters later.

I do not own R+V in any shape, way, or form.

* * *

Moka walked down the stairs to the basement of the dorms carrying a laundry basket laden with two weeks' worth of clothes. With everything that had happened that week, Moka hoped that doing laundry on a Sunday afternoon would be a cathartic experience that could ease her mind. As she sat amidst the low thrum of the washing machines, it seemed that the relative quiet of the atmosphere would indeed carry her thoughts far from recent events.

Unfortunately, a string of furious swearing coming from behind her brought Moka out of her trance. She snuck a peek over her shoulder to see who else was downstairs, and nearly fell out her chair when she saw who it was.

"Kidoku-san!" Moka exclaimed, startled. "What are you doing in the basement of the girls' dorm?"

Kidoku glanced at Moka oddly. "What are you talking about? The dorms are connected by the basement, Moka-chan."

"…Oh." Moka sighed with relief. After everything that had happened with Gin, Moka didn't think she could handle finding out another one of her friends was a pervert.

Kidoku walked over to Moka with a wrinkled lump of fabric in his hand. Moka recognized it as the blazer from his school uniform, but there were several stains streaking across the chest and sleeves.

"Moka-chan, are you any good at getting stains out?" Kidoku asked. "I can handle grass and food, but I've never had to get blood out before, and I figured—"

"Blood?! Kidoku, what have you been up to?!"

"Don't worry," Kidoku reassured her, "all of it is mine, so—"

"That's supposed to make me worry _less_?!" Moka cried, exasperated. "How did this happen?"

"I wrapped it around my arm to stop the bleeding after I punched through a window," Kidoku said flatly, grinning slightly. He had given up on trying to keep Moka calm and was now taking amusement from her reaction.

Moka took the blazer from him and looked it over. In addition to the splotches of blood that had soaked into the fabric, she could also see small rips and tears here and there, which she assumed must have been caused by the bits of glass that would have been stuck in Kidoku's arm. She shook her head, unable to comprehend this level of stupidity.

"Did you go to the medical bay?" Moka asked, not taking her eyes off of his blazer.

"Yep. I told them I fell." Kidoku broke into a wide smile, and when Moka glanced up at his ridiculous expression, she could help but giggle.

Her demeanor grew much more serious as a peculiar scented wafted into her nostrils. There was a heavy layer of detergent and fabric softener due to Kidoku's repeated attempts to clean his clothing, but Moka's highly-sensitive vampire nose could detect the faint scent of blood that still lingered in the threads of the blazer. Moka brought it closer to her face and inhaled deeply; it was nowhere near as enticing as Tsukune's, but there was something unique about it. For a moment, Moka could have sworn she smelled some sort of fruit.

Kidoku was puzzled by her sudden silence, and Moka's strange behavior with his clothing only served to augment his confusion. "Moka-chan," he said, "are you okay?"

"Kidoku-san…" Moka looked into his eyes, and Kidoku could see that her cheeks were flushed red. She took a step closer to him, leaving mere inches between their faces.

"What is it, Moka-chan?" Kidoku asked nervously. Moka was a bit too close for comfort.

The blush on Moka's cheeks burned brighter. "Well, after what Tsukune said the other day…I haven't—well, I've been feeling very…"

"Yes?" Kidoku urged her on.

"…Hungry." She looked down in embarrassment at her own proclamation.

Kidoku backed away slowly. "Moka, I don't think that's such a good idea. What would Tsukune think?"

"I don't think he cares about me anymore," Moka replied, feeling defeated.

"Have you talked to him since the outburst?"

Moka sighed. "I wanted to talk to him when we were handing out newspapers on Friday, but that turned out horribly."

Kidoku perked up. "How so?"

"The leader of the protection committee destroyed our stand because we didn't have a permit," Moka said. "As punishment, we have to pay dues to the committee every week for the club to stay together, and they're monitoring us like hawks. We have to get approval from Kuyo himself before we can run an article." Moka pounded her fist against the nearest washing machine, putting a small dent in it. Kidoku was surprised by this; he had never seen Moka angry before, and after seeing what her other side was capable of, he didn't want to get her riled up.

Moka continued her tirade. "Worst of all, Gin didn't even try to fight back! He told us to lie down and take it without arguing." Her voice was growing louder and more irate with each word. "Apparently they cracked down on the newspaper club last year, which means Gin should have known about the permits! We're being punished because he made one stupid mistake!"

Kidoku remained silent. His head was still swimming, and he didn't want to say anything that might set Moka off on him. Nevertheless, she turned her attention to the hapless incubus next.

"Do they treat all clubs like this?" she asked rhetorically. "Do they ask for anything from your club?"

"Indirectly, yes," Kidoku said. "You see, the school protection committee does exactly what its name would suggest: it acts as the first line of defense in an attack against the school. In exchange, they ask for payment from each of the clubs." Kidoku attempted to stand up, but the bright stars that burst before his eyes told him he needed to remain seated for a while longer.

"As for the karate club," Kidoku continued to explain, "well, we're expected to act as the leaders of the student militia if the school is attacked. Our tribute comes in the form of providing support to the protection committee. I don't think we have to pay dues or anything of that sort."

"This is so unfair!" Moka exclaimed as she sat across from Kidoku. "I don't know how they can get away with this."

"Fear, probably. Even Haiji and Kaze keep quiet about their corruption."

Moka crossed her legs and groaned. "Someone needs to stand up to them," she muttered.

"Doing it by yourself would be crazy," Kidoku remarked. "Maybe if everyone in the newspaper club worked together…of course, that would mean you would have to talk to Tsukune again."

Moka fell silent. "You're taking what he said the wrong way, Moka," Kidoku said. "He doesn't want a romantic relationship with you. What's wrong with that? It doesn't mean the two of you can't still be friends, y'know."

"I know that, Kidoku," she replied quietly, "but you don't understand. Tsukune was my first friend, but he was also my first time drinking blood from an actual person." Moka turned slightly red once more. "Isn't it natural to want to keep someone special like that close?"

"If you want my opinion, I think you're putting too much emphasis on the situation." Moka looked up at Kidoku, puzzled by his words. Continuing, he elaborated, "You said Tsukune was your first friend. He was running late to the welcoming ceremony, and that's when you drank his blood for the first time. But what if things had played out differently? What if I had been the one running late? Would you be falling for me right now?"

Moka stared at Kidoku, speechless at his audacity. There was a certain hardness in his eyes that told her he was not joking around, though, and she gave his words consideration. Not waiting for her to reply, Kidoku concluded his argument.

"I think you see what I'm getting at," he said. "You need to make sure that you want to be with Tsukune because you truly do like being around him, not because he had the luck of being your first _anything_."

"But I do like him…for real reasons." Moka's reply was soft but confident. "Tsukune stood up to Saizo even though he's just a human. He knows Kurumu and I would do anything for him, but he doesn't take advantage of either of us. And when my other self was going to kill Kurumu, he stood in her way and held his ground." Moka smiled as she thought of all the memories she had shared with Tsukune thus far. "He's an admirable person, and if he doesn't feel the way I do, I'll learn to live with it."

"Ah, but you don't have to," Kidoku said mischievously. "I'm glad that you and Kurumu have both chosen to respect his decision, but you have to realize that there's always the possibility that he could change his mind."

"He seemed pretty sure of himself to me," Moka responded.

"Give it time, and don't give up on him." Kidoku put his hand on her shoulder. "Kurumu's like a sister to me, so I'll be helping her out…but you're my friend, Moka-chan. I'll do what I can for both of you."

"Kidoku…you don't have to—"

"Oh, stop it," he said, cutting her off. "You can pay me back by helping me get the stain out of this shirt." He pointed to the ripped and bloody blazer that Moka still held.

"Honestly, Kidoku, I think you're better off just getting a new one," Moka said with a laugh.

Kidoku took back the wrinkled blazer and looked at it sadly. "We had some good times together," he said wistfully to no one in particular. "Oh well. Sometimes you need a fresh start, right?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of Moka's mouth as her thoughts turned to tomorrow morning and her own fresh start with Tsukune. "Yes," she agreed, "I suppose you do."

* * *

The next morning passed by pleasantly for Tsukune. Yukari had begun walking to class with them, and now that Moka and Kurumu were being much more civilized to each other, he could finally be around them both at the same time and enjoy himself. He had to stifle his laughter when he saw Kidoku; the incubus hadn't had time to get a new blazer from the school shop before it closed, and he was stuck wearing an ugly green sweater over his dress shirt. It clashed with his eyes and hair even worse than the standard-issue blazer, a fact that Kurumu wasted no time in telling him.

Lunch, on the other hand, was much more eventful. Tsukune would later wonder how much squabbling and arguing could rise from innocently discussing a simple fruit.

"When did the school start serving kiwis?" Tsukune asked, looking at the pile of hairy fruit on Kidoku's tray.

"Just today, I guess," Kidoku replied. He extended one sharp talon and swiftly sliced each kiwi in half, then took his spoon and attacked the green fruit ravenously.

"This reminds me of when Kido and I were kids," Kurumu said, setting down her tray next to Kidoku. She was soon followed by Moka and Yukari, who took their places by Tsukune. The girls had agreed to take turns sitting next to him, much to his relief.

"Why is that, Kurumu?" Moka asked, slicing her own kiwi in half. She had never tried one before, and decided to eat it before the main entrée.

"He used to eat so many that he would get sick," Kurumu said with a grin. Kidoku ignored her and moved on to his second fruit. Poking his side, Kurumu added, "Remember what your uncle always told you?"

Kidoku swallowed his current mouthful and wiped away the green juice from his lips. "Yeah, yeah, 'keep eating kiwis and one day you'll turn into a kiwi,' right?"

Moka bit into hers cautiously, not knowing what to expect. The flavor was sour and yet sweet at the same time. She felt as though she knew the taste, but she couldn't quite place it

Next to her, Tsukune chuckled. "I think your uncle was right, Kidoku-san," he said. "You're definitely green enough to be a kiwi…now if only you had lots of fuzzy brown hair…"

"Tsukune, you wound me!" Kidoku cried in mock insult. Nonetheless, he continued shoveling bits of the fruit in his mouth. "Besides," he said around mouthfuls, "if Moka keeps drinking Tsukune's blood, she might turn into Tsukune, right?"

Tsukune burst into laughter at this thought, while Moka just shuddered. Yukari, who had remained silent for the duration of the ridiculous conversation, finally spoke up.

"Kurumu, did you drink a lot of milk when you were younger?" she asked, her seemingly innocent words laced with sweet venom.

Kurumu looked at her oddly, unsure of what she was getting at. "Why do you ask, Yukari?"

"I thought maybe that's why you're turning into a cow," Yukari replied, cackling wickedly. Kidoku was laughing so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. Even Moka chuckled a little.

"You're just jealous because you're flat like an ironing board," Kurumu said indignantly as she reached across the table and pinched Yukari's chest.

"Hey! Back off, boob-monster!" Yukari waved her wand and summoned a brass pot over Kurumu's head, which impacted with a sharp clang.

Tsukune sighed, but he found himself smiling. The endless fighting over him between Moka and Kurumu had ended, and even though it had been replaced by their current antics, everyone was laughing and having a good time. To his surprise, Tsukune enjoyed this new insanity, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

* * *

The next few weeks all seemed to blend together. There were a few subtle changes, but Tsukune and his friends found themselves slipping more and more into a simple routine each week. Kotsubo had been sent home on medical leave after being found frozen in his office, and a gruff elderly woman had been hired temporarily as his replacement.

The newspaper club was growing used to their new assisted leadership from the protection committee, and aside from paying weekly dues, it was almost as if they were still operating freely. There were some benefits, too; having Kuyo and his cadre to back them up when securing an interview proved quite useful. They had been able to interview several club leaders as well as some of the teachers, and they were slated to do an interview with the Chairman himself sometime in the second semester. Kuyo had also insisted that they move their publication date up to Monday, and the extra work time over the weekend did wonders on easing the time crunch as their weekly deadline approached. Only the smug look on the face of the officer that collected their dues every week reminded them of their oppression.

Kurumu noticed that Kidoku always asked for two copies of the newspaper, but by the end of the day she only saw him carrying one. She had more important things to worry about, however, and thus never asked him about it, chalking it up to his goofy nature.

In truth, Kidoku was taking his extra copy of the newspaper to Mizore every Monday. Each afternoon he would fly up to her window and drop it off through the pane he had broken, which had yet to be repaired. Kidoku asked her about this at one point, but she claimed to enjoy the breeze that it let in, especially now that it was getting hotter outside as summer approached. Kidoku rarely got more than five minutes of conversation out of her, but that was all he needed. Besides, after what happened earlier that month, Kidoku was training harder than ever.

On the first Wednesday after the incident with Mizore, the karate club was in an uproar over a sudden upset. The eleventh-ranked freshman, a short scrappy boy with dark plum hair and piercing eyes to match, challenged the next four members ahead of him, and within half an hour he was four ranks higher than he had been that morning. Kidoku approached him after their training session was over.

"Hey!" he called out to get his attention. "That was amazing!"

The boy glanced back at him and shrugged. "Thanks, but it's not over yet."

Kidoku stopped. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not stopping till I'm at the top of our class."

Kidoku let out a whistle. "That's a pretty lofty goal. Sure you're up for it? I mean, Taikaro is training under Kaze, so he'll be pretty tough to beat." Kidoku hadn't seen the top-ranked freshman lose a single fight yet, even when he was matched up against some of the sophomores.

"That's faulty logic," the other boy remarked. "You train under Kaze, and you're still sitting at the bottom, aren't you? Why is that?"

Kidoku chuckled, but cut himself off when he realized that the boy was being serious. "Well, I'm making progress, but I don't have a lot to work with. Incubi aren't exactly known for their physical prowess."

The boy cocked an eyebrow at this. "So you're an incubus, eh?" Kidoku nodded, and the boy continued. "C-class yokai under normal circumstances, and even at full power you're barely scraping a low B-rank, right? Primary combat abilities are limited to flight and slashing with talons, with nothing else even remotely noteworthy."

"Well…yeah, pretty much," Kidoku said sheepishly, feeling much more pathetic.

"Our system of ranking is pointless," the boy remarked. "Sure, it's a simple way of getting a general idea of how dangerous any particular species of yokai is, but it falls apart on an individual level. That's why I'm going to be number one in the karate club. I want to show them how broken their system is."

"That's very noble of you," Kidoku commented, "but you seem pretty strong as it is, so I don't think it's going to change much…unless you're a D-class or lower, that is." Kidoku laughed again, but he was once again silenced by the stern gaze of his conversation partner.

"Will-o-the-wisps are the lowest of all ranked yokai," the boy said quietly. "We're barely a notch above imps and familiars. No one expects us to be anything but cowards who run at the first signs of danger." He looked directly into Kidoku's eyes, and Kidoku felt as though those purple irises were going to drill a hole through his skull. "Throw off the chains of everyone's expectations and show them that real strength can't be measured on some silly scale."

Without another word, the plum-haired boy took his leave of Kidoku, his powerful words still echoing in the incubus's mind.

* * *

The advent of the summer months found Yokai academy buzzing with activity as students prepared for their final exams for the semester. After seeing their midterm results, many students were thrown into a panic as they attempted to salvage their semester marks in hopes of avoiding summer school.

"Congratulations, Yukari!" Moka exclaimed as she read Yukari's name from the far-right column of the list. Yukari had come out at the top of the class, and Moka had been only a few ranks behind her.

"You two are so smart, I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep up!" Tsukune remarked. As expected, his results fell dead-center among his classmates.

"You could always try studying with them," Kidoku suggested. "I know Kurumu-chan's going to need some help preparing for finals."

Kurumu sullenly searched the columns for her name, finding hers at last among the names on the far-left side of the board. She cringed as she read the number next to her name, but put on a smile anyway. "Well, school isn't everything, right?"

"It is if you want to spend the summer having fun instead of being holed up in a classroom," Kidoku pointed out. "Judging by your placement, you should start studying right away."

"Nobody asked you, Kido," Kurumu growled. "I bet you didn't do so hot either!" She paled slightly when Kidoku pointed up at his name and the bold number 35 next to it.

"I'm certainly no match for Yukari or Moka, but I did well enough to help you, Kurumu-chan."

"If those oversized melons were brains, boob-monster wouldn't need any help!" Yukari chimed in.

"What did you say?!"

While Kurumu and Yukari were busy tormenting each other, Tsukune approached Moka and Kidoku slowly. "On a more serious note…would you guys mind helping me study?" Tsukune was embarrassed that he had to ask for help, but he didn't plan on missing out on free time this summer.

"I wouldn't mind!" Moka and Kidoku replied in unison.

Tsukune grinned. "Thanks, guys." With any luck, he'd pass the final exams with flying colors.

* * *

"Remind me why I let you talk me into this again?" Kurumu's discontent was palpable as she laid back on Kidoku's bed. Kidoku picked up his desk chair and carried it over to the bed, taking his seat near Kurumu.

"Tsukune needs someone who fully grasps the lesson like Moka or Yukari to teach him," Kidoku replied, cracking open his notes and flipping through the pages.

"I know that," Kurumu said, frustrated, "but why can't I study with him too?"

"Because I'm the only one willing to put up with you," Kidoku said, grinning slyly.

Kurumu rolled her eyes, but she knew there was some truth to Kidoku's words. She sat up and folded her hands across her lap, waiting impatiently for Kidoku to begin their lesson.

"Okay, we'll start with trig identities," he began. "The primary one is as follows: the sum of the square of the sine and the square of the cosine is equal to one." Kidoku underlined the equation in his notes for Kurumu and waited for her to copy it down.

Instead, she furrowed her brow and stared intently at the mathematical expression, as though its meaning would be revealed to her if she concentrated hard enough. After a few moments, she gave up.

"I don't get it," she said flatly.

"That's okay," Kidoku reassured her. "It's very easy to see if you use a unit circle. See, if you use the Pythagorean theorem and divide by the square of the radius, then substitute these values—"

"Er…what?" Kurumu was growing more confused by the second.

Kidoku sighed. "What part don't you understand?"

"All of it. When did we start using this 'cos' thing?"

"Weeks ago!" Exasperation was creeping into Kidoku's tone. "How far behind are you, anyway?"

Kurumu shrugged. "I got a little behind at the beginning of the semester, and I guess I never really caught back up."

Kidoku nearly started shouting, but then he stopped himself. _The beginning of the semester?_ Tsukune told Kidoku that Kurumu had been nodding off in class a lot while he was in the hospital wing. _So she's completely lost in her schoolwork…because she was worried about me?_

His growing irritation melted away almost instantaneously. Kidoku felt touched that Kurumu had shown him that much devotion, and he had to return the favor. Flipping back in his notes to the first few lessons, he looked up at Kurumu and grinned.

"Well, I signed up to save your dumb ass, so I guess we'd better get on it, eh?"

"When you put it like that, how can I refuse?" Kurumu said sardonically.

"I've been told I have quite a way with words," he replied with a wink.

"Pfft, right," Kurumu said, laughing. "Shall we get started then, Professor Kido?"

With his mood brightened considerably, Kidoku applied himself to teaching Kurumu with a new fervor. Getting her all caught up cost him a few hours of sleep, but he knew it would be well worth it when exams rolled around.

* * *

"I can't look." Kurumu covered her face with her hands as they entered the classroom.

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic," Kidoku said, "I'm sure you did fine!"

"Ha! I aced it!" Yukari exclaimed, jumping up and down and waving her test in the air. Kurumu groaned and attempted to leave, but Kidoku grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"You shouldn't compare yourself to Yukari, Kurumu," Tsukune said. One of the exams laid out on the table caught his eye, and he picked it up and smiled. "And I'd have to say Ririko-sensei doesn't think you need to go to summer school, if this is anything to go by."

Kurumu moved her hands away from her face and looked at the test packet Tsukune was holding before her. Her name was written neatly in the upper right corner, and in the upper left was her grade written in red ink…a sixty-four percent.

"Yahoo!" Kurumu whooped, snatching her exam from Tsukune. "No summer school for me! No summer school for me!"

"It looks like you improved a lot too, Tsukune," Yukari remarked, pointing to his exam on the table.

"Well, I owe it all to Moka-san," he said. A tinge of red crept across Moka's cheeks, but Tsukune didn't seem to notice.

While the others were busy celebrating, Kidoku scanned the piles of papers looking for one in particular. Finally his eyes fell on one that read "Shirayuki Mizore" at the top. The grade she received was a fifty-three. Kidoku breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the fact that she hadn't been attending classes and had given Nekonome all of her homework through her mail slot, she managed to pull off a passing grade.

"C'mon, Kido! Let's go celebrate!" Kurumu took him by the arm and pulled him along after the others. Kidoku went along happily; he knew that in a few days they would be separated as their clubs went on their respective summer trips, and he wanted to enjoy what little time they still had together before the next semester as much as possible.

* * *

Down the hall in the sophomore classrooms, Haiji was having a hearty laugh as his friend Gin flipped over another desk in a fit of rage. Gin stomped around the room looking for something else to wreck, seething with anger.

"Dammit!" he shouted. "How the hell could this happen?!"

"Missing the mark by only two points is pretty funny, if you ask me," Haiji remarked, stifling his laughter.

"It isn't from my point of view," Gin growled. "You were with me all the time this semester, Haiji! How'd you do so much better?"

Haiji shrugged. "Beats the hell outta me. I think I can help you out, though."

Gin stopped in his tracks. "And how're you gonna do that?" he asked, intrigued.

"I've got more freshmen than upperclassmen this year," Haiji explained, "so I talked the Chairman into letting me set up a little program for students to get out of summer school…but you're gonna have to work, Gin."

"You name it and I'll do it!" Gin asserted.

Haiji grinned. "Well…"

* * *

"Please make your selections quickly," Kaze instructed the group. "Your available partners have been sorted by the emphasis of their fighting style, and within each style they are ordered from lowest class to highest."

Taking the plum-haired boy's words to heart, Kidoku had been challenging stronger opponents each week, and although he had lost each time, he noticed that his technique was improving, and he had discovered that his agility was his greatest advantage.

Deciding to focus on his strengths, Kidoku flipped to the section labeled "speed" and looked over the profiles. There was one he recognized almost immediately, but his heart sank as he realized that he was the highest-class yokai on the list. Remembering what the stern boy had told him, Kidoku resolved to take him as his partner anyway. Even if he had no hope of winning, he would still benefit from the experience.

"Kaze-senpai, I'd like this one," he said, pointing to a roguish sophomore with black hair. Kaze walked over and glanced at his choice, a smirk forming at his lips.

"Swinging for the fences, Koei?" he teased. "I'm impressed you chose this one. Pack your bags tonight; their bus leaves tomorrow morning. We'll see you next semester."

Kidoku nodded and got up to leave. Haiji, who had been nearby when Kidoku announced his selection, put a hand out to stop him.

"Kidoku, you know this guy is going to be a tough fighter, right?"

"That's why I picked him, senpai," Kidoku replied simply.

Haiji shook his head and grinned. "Well, if you're certain…go out there and make us all proud."

Kidoku smiled back. "I'll do my best, senpai."

* * *

"Hurry up, Gin-senpai!" Kurumu yelled from the back of the bus. "We were supposed to leave already!"

"Hold your horses!" Gin snapped. "We've got one more coming with us."

"I heard he failed his final exams and had to do this to avoid summer school," Yukari whispered. Kurumu grinned wickedly and made a mental note to taunt Gin later.

Gin spotted a figure approaching in the distance. At first, all he could pick out was a white robe and messy green hair, as the person came closer, Gin could see that he fit the description he had been given. He carried a small duffel bag with him and nothing else, which Gin appreciated. He didn't feel like lugging around someone else's luggage over break.

"Morning!" Gin greeted the boy. "The name's Morioka Ginei, but you can call me Gin. I guess I'll be your sparring partner, huh?"

"Yep!" the boy replied cheerfully. "Thanks for bringing me along, Gin-san!"

"Hey, I'm still your senpai, whelp," Gin scolded, "and you'll address me as such, y'hear?"

"No problem, Gin-senpai!"

Gin sized him up; the kid was skinny as a twig, and he smiled too much for Gin's liking. "You got a name, kid?"

"Koei," he replied. "Koei Kidoku."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, there you have it. The next chapter will be more exciting, I promise. I'm going to try to cut down on the length of these chapters to see if that helps me to update more often, but I can't make any guarantees. Thank you to everyone who continues to read this, and extra thanks to everyone who has reviewed it. You guys are the reason this story has gotten this far, and the reason it's going to keep going!

On a much more serious note, though...if you ever feel that I'm giving too much attention to Kidoku, please do not be afraid to call me out on it. I realize stories with OCs are often glossed over just on principle, and I'd like to try to write this story as the exception to the rule.

~Grandliucharde


	10. Taking a break

Well...to be honest, I didn't expect the response that came when I said I was going to take this fic down. I was so caught up in examining everything that would remain the same whether or not an OC was involved that I failed to realize how many things would be lost if I removed Kidoku from the story, and I'm glad that so many of you were willing to help knock some sense into me. In particular, I'MNOTCRAZY1 helped out immensely by reading through every chapter and giving his opinion on each chapter, both the positives and the negatives.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for overreacting to my own negativity, and that I WILL in fact continue to write this fanfic. I put too much time into coming up with things that haven't even been written yet to let this project die in its early stages.

However, looking back through the nine chapters I have written thus far, I realize that this story could be much better. Up to this point, I refused to use a beta reader because of my own stupid pride, but henceforth I will run each new chapter by at least one person before posting it. That could be a while, though, because I have chosen to take a hiatus from writing new chapters for this story so that I might have the chance to fix the aforementioned problems. Some changes will be small, some will be bigger, and ultimately I may end up changing the way the chapters are divided.

In addition to revisions, I'm also going to sit down and try to plan ahead for this fic based on what follows from the established development, not based on what I want to happen. I had a VERY rigidly set ending in mind when I began writing this, and I think that contributed to some of the errors I made, especially moments of character derailment. With schoolwork piling on, it might be a while until I can post the real tenth chapter of this story, but I have not given up, and I will see this story to its completion. It's likely that when I start to post the revised story, it will be a new entry under a different name, so keep your eyes peeled! Until then, I will leave this up as a lasting testament to what I tried to accomplish, and as a reminder to myself to take my time and not be so narrow-minded.

Thank you all for your encouragement and support. This is the first fanfic I've ever written, and I couldn't have asked for a better group of readers. Until next time!

~Grandliucharde


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